What is API?
API, its expansion being Application Programming Interface is a service that provides a cross point between one or more websites and their software relevancies. The main function is a congregation; is used widely in web designing and provides a collection of applications which are multipurpose in their usage. To explain its function, imagine a website which uses an API composed by an electronic agency that allows the website to connect itself with other websites and their services, thereby enhancing usage. A good example is Java Applications, a gateway for advertisements, search engines and other windows applications.
What is IDE?
IDE, which is Integrated Development Environment, is basically the foundation of software i.e. it’s the language from which software is built from. It consists of codes, lingual functions and helps to erase viruses from the software. It thus forms the hub of any software used in Windows since it formulates a basic environment for various applications to operate, thus is not the application but the software which consists of applications. A good example is Microsoft Visual Studio.
Academically if both have to be differentiated, one can say we are talking about Java programming and C++, both of which whose points of functioning are different.