What is an API Token?

Point of Sale (POS) Glossary

An API token is a unique identifier used by an application to authenticate access to services. API stands for application programming interface.

API tokens are not unique to the retail point of sale environment. However, POS systems may use API tokens in their operation to share data with other parts of the system. API tokens are part of the framework built into a POS and are invisible to the users. A user of a POS system might have a username and password to log into a point of sale system, and API token handling would be negotiated behind the scenes without the user ever seeing something called a token.

API tokens are an essential part of modern technology and security, allowing multiple systems to work together and exchange data.