Endpoint

Simple Definition

An endpoint is a specific web address (URL) that an API exposes so that other software can send requests to it. Think of it as a door into a service — each door leads to a different function.

In AI: when you use an AI API, you send your request to a specific endpoint depending on what you want — generating text, creating an image, or turning speech into text each have their own endpoint.

A Simple Analogy

Think of a hotel with different phone extensions. Extension 1 goes to room service, extension 2 to housekeeping, extension 3 to the front desk. Each extension is an endpoint — a specific address for a specific function. You call the right one depending on what you need.

Common AI Endpoints

Most AI providers structure their endpoints by task:

Chat/completions — for generating text responses (e.g., POST /v1/chat/completions)
Images — for generating images from text (e.g., POST /v1/images/generations)
Audio — for transcribing or generating speech
Embeddings — for converting text into vector form for search

Why Endpoints Matter

Understanding endpoints helps you:

Know which part of an API to call for a specific task
Debug errors (hitting the wrong endpoint is a common mistake)
Understand API pricing (different endpoints may have different costs)
Read API documentation more easily

Endpoint vs. API

An API is the whole system — like a restaurant. An endpoint is one specific item on the menu. A single API can have many endpoints, each doing something different.