What is a messaging API?

A messaging API enables real-time message exchange between two or more users. Developers use it to add messaging to existing software applications or to create messaging applications without having to start from scratch. Messaging APIs offer multiple features, such as sending and receiving text messages, images, audio, video, and other multimedia file types. They provide pre-built messaging functionality for creating 1-on-1 messaging, public and private chat rooms, and managing and moderating users and chat conversations.

Read more about the difference between an API and SDK.