What do API and 3rd party apps have to do with social media platforms?
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APIs are how programs communicate with other programs. They give specific instructions on how to request or submit data so that the original program is able to process the data correctly. So, if you want to use an app to post to Reddit, the Reddit API tells you where to submit the post and how to format it so that Reddit posts it correctly.
3rd party apps are apps that interface with a program made by different developers. So Apollo, the very popular Reddit app, is a 3rd party app – Reddit doesn’t make it but it still accesses Reddit.
3rd party apps use the API to work. Apollo uses the API to access Reddit data and submit data to Reddit.
This maters because changes to the API can break access on 3rd party apps. If a company limits how often you can use the API (what is happening in this case) it can mean that apps are unable to function.
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