API Is The New CLI For Cisco Systems

For the less technical, it might be helpful to define these acronyms. API (Application Program Interface) refers to a set of tools, definitions, and rules or protocols for building a software application. Think of it as a set of basic building blocks, Legos if you will, that make the software development process open and easy. CLI (Command-Line Interface) on the other hand is a historical method of interacting with a computer program. As it relates to networking, CLI is a very manual approach to legacy network management that involves deploying and managing devices on an individual line-by-line basis.