The terms "integration" and "application programming interface" (API) are often misunderstood, but they have distinct meanings. An API is a method for allowing disparate applications to communicate with one another through a universal set of rules and protocols, enabling developers to build to specific endpoints. Integration, on the other hand, refers to any method of connecting applications, which can involve APIs, webhooks, screen scraping, and other approaches, and can apply to internal or customer-facing integrations. While an API is a subset of integration, integrations can be built in various ways beyond just using APIs. Understanding the differences between these terms is crucial for developers and teams to reference them correctly and build effective integrations, such as connecting support ticketing tools with engineering tools or automating user provisioning in products.