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Technicalwarm-up
Explain what an API is to someone who isn't technical.
How to approach it
Use one everyday analogy, then ground it in a real product example the listener already uses.
How a strong answer opens
“An API is like a restaurant menu: you can order anything on it without walking into the kitchen. A travel site uses airlines' APIs that way to show you flight prices.”
Outline of a strong answer
Try answering out loud for a few minutes before you open this.
- Give an analogy, such as a restaurant menu: you order from a fixed list without entering the kitchen
- Define it plainly: a set of agreed requests one program can make of another
- Real example: a travel site showing flight prices pulled from airlines
- Why it matters: products can be built from parts other teams or companies maintain
- Mention limits: access keys, rate limits, and changes that break integrations
Where this question usually goes wrong
Explaining it with words like endpoints and JSON to someone who isn't technical, or giving an analogy with no real example.
Learn the method
APIs and integrations in Module 6, Technical for PMs.
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