nerdexam
Cisco

200-301 · Question #146

Which option best describes an API?

The correct answer is A. a contract that describes how various components communicate and exchange data with each. An API (Application Programming Interface) serves as a contract, specifying how different software components should interact and exchange data, defining the methods and data formats for communication.

Submitted by femi9· Mar 5, 2026Automation and Programmability

Question

Which option best describes an API?

Options

  • Aa contract that describes how various components communicate and exchange data with each
  • Ban architectural style (versus a protocol) for designing applications
  • Ca stateless client-server model
  • Drequest a certain type of data by specifying the URL path that models the data

How the community answered

(21 responses)
  • A
    86% (18)
  • B
    10% (2)
  • C
    5% (1)

Why each option

An API (Application Programming Interface) serves as a contract, specifying how different software components should interact and exchange data, defining the methods and data formats for communication.

Aa contract that describes how various components communicate and exchange data with eachCorrect

An API (Application Programming Interface) acts as a formal contract or specification that details the methods, data types, protocols, and interactions by which different software components or systems can communicate and exchange data with each other.

Ban architectural style (versus a protocol) for designing applications

This describes an architectural style like REST, which *uses* APIs, rather than the fundamental definition of an API itself, which is a broader concept.

Ca stateless client-server model

A stateless client-server model is a characteristic of certain API architectures (like RESTful APIs), but it does not define what an API fundamentally is in general.

Drequest a certain type of data by specifying the URL path that models the data

This describes how a client might interact with a specific type of API (e.g., a RESTful API with resource-based URLs), not the general definition of an API as a communication contract.

Concept tested: API definition

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/api-management/api-management-faq#what-is-an-api

Topics

#API definition#Programmability concepts

Community Discussion

No community discussion yet for this question.

Full 200-301 Practice