What are Interfaces and API in Oracle Apps

What are Open Interfaces?

• The term Open Interfaces actually refers a programming interface, usually a database table, that automates the execution of Oracle APIs.
• Open Interfaces provide a single, simple interface for a specified business procedure.
• Open Interface is a table based interface registered as a concurrent program, which process records in batches.
• In EBS one Open Interface may run many API calls.
• Open Interface run asynchronously.
• The good is that if there is failure of record, they remain in the table until either fixed or purged.
• This requires less work and less code as few SQL DML would simply .
• In case of interfaces, you need to first populate data into interface tables, and then run some batch process. 
• Validations take place when you try to run the import process.

What are the Oracle APIs?

• These are called as a collection of Black Box interfaces that provide programmatic access into the Oracle ERP database.
• The term API refers to stored procedure driven interfaces, where you call a stored procedure to perform an action within an Oracle Module, and the data from your external application is passed through the stored procedure as parameters.
• When using API you need to handle error messages within your main process itself. That requires custom error handling routine.
• API (Application Program Interface) is a parameter based stored procedure.
• The data gets pushed into oracle tables directly from the API
• API may be called from Oracle open interfaces,Forms, Reports.
• Normally all Oracle APIs run synchronously, and provide immediate responses, therefore mechanism to be provided to handle such situation.
• This may requires lot more effort as these need fine grain control approach.
• Remember, the APIs are also used by the front end screens, and in the same way, will require all the appropriate prerequisites to be implemented.

Note: Use API When there is no corresponding Open Interface.