What is Reverse API?

The term "Reverse API" can have a few different meanings depending on context, but generally it refers to one of these concepts:

1. Reverse Engineering an API:
   This is the most common usage. It involves analyzing a system or software to discover its API (Application Programming Interface) details when no official documentation is available. For example, developers might intercept network requests made by a mobile app to understand how it communicates with a server, effectively reconstructing the API to use it themselves.

2. Callback or Webhook APIs (Reverse Communication):
   Sometimes, "reverse API" can refer to scenarios where the typical API communication flow is flipped. Instead of a client requesting data from a server, the server calls back the client to provide data or notifications. This is typical in webhook setups where the server "pushes" data to a client endpoint.

3. Inverse API or API That Works Backwards (less common):
   Some might use "reverse API" to describe an API that performs operations opposite to a standard API’s normal function. For instance, if a normal API converts data from format A to B, a reverse API might convert from B back to A.

Summary

• Reverse API often means reverse engineering an API to understand and use it without official docs.
• It can also mean an API that reverses the normal communication flow (e.g., webhooks).
• It might sometimes refer to an API that performs inverse operations.

If you have a particular context or example, I can give a more precise explanation!