What is the difference between middleware and APIs?

What is the difference between middleware and APIs?

Middleware acts as a bridge between different applications, while APIs allow different software to communicate directly.

Can you give me examples of middleware and APIs?

Sure! Examples of middleware include message brokers like RabbitMQ, while RESTful services are common APIs.

When would I use middleware instead of an API?

You'd use middleware when you need to integrate multiple applications or services that require data transformation or routing.

Are there any performance differences between using middleware and APIs?

Yes, middleware can introduce latency due to additional processing, while APIs can be more direct and faster for simple requests.