What is the ArcGIS API for Python?

The ArcGIS API for Python is like ArcPy, in that it is a Python package. It contains classes, modules, and functions. However, it is not just a Python package: it is also an application programming interface (API). An API is code that allows different applications and software to talk to each other. It interacts primarily with the ArcGIS REST API. This means that you can use the module to make requests for data hosted on ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. This data is either in your own organization or is publicly available. It is a Pythonic API, in that it is designed to Python standards and best practices. As a Pythonic API, it allows Python programmers to easily use ArcGIS, and ArcGIS users familiar with Python to automate web GIS tasks.

ArcGIS API modules

The API is organized into different modules for your use. Each module has different functions and types to assist in your GIS.

These are the modules you are likely to use the...