japi

japi, short for Java API, refers to the set of publicly available interfaces, classes, and methods provided by the Java platform. It forms the core library that enables Java applications to perform common tasks such as data manipulation, I/O, networking, and user interface development. The Java API is implemented across different distributions, most notably Oracle’s JDK and the OpenJDK family, as well as vendor-specific builds for various environments.

The Java SE API provides the standard library, organized into packages such as java.lang, java.util, java.io, and java.net. Additional APIs cover areas like concurrent programming, graphics and UI, XML processing, security, and cryptography. The API surface evolves with each Java release, typically expanding functionality while preserving backward compatibility within a major Java version.

Developers access the API by importing relevant packages and consulting the official JavaDoc documentation that accompanies each distribution. The API reference describes classes, methods, parameters, return values, and exceptions, and serves as the principal resource for correct usage and API design conventions. Java API compatibility and portability are overseen by the Java Community Process and formal verification efforts such as the Java Compatibility Kit (JCK) used to certify implementations.

While commonly referred to as the Java API, japi may appear in various contexts, including documentation tooling and integrated development environments, where it is invoked to provide code completion and API insights.