# API Reference

::::card-grid
:::card{title="API Reference" href="/guides/api-reference-reference"}
The Discord API is a REST API that allows you to interact with Discord data from your own applications. It's the primary way to interact with Discord from your own code.
:::

:::card{title="OAuth2" href="/guides/api-reference-topics-oauth2"}
:::

:::card{title="Opcodes and Status Codes" href="/guides/api-reference-topics-opcodes-and-status-codes"}
:::

:::card{title="Permissions" href="/guides/api-reference-topics-permissions"}
Learn how Discord's permission system works including bitwise operations.
:::

:::card{title="Rate Limits" href="/guides/api-reference-topics-rate-limits"}
Understand Discord's rate limiting system including per-route and global limits.
:::

:::card{title="Threads" href="/guides/api-reference-topics-threads"}
Learn about Discord threads - temporary sub-channels for organizing conversations.
:::
::::

## Related pages

- [App Fundamentals](./app-fundamentals-index.md)
- [Best Practices](./best-practices-index.md)
- [Bots & Companion Apps](./bots-companion-apps-index.md)
- [Building Games](./building-games-index.md)
- [Building on Discord](./building-on-discord-index.md)
- [Change Log](./change-log-index.md)
- [Communities & Servers](./communities-servers-index.md)
- [Components](./components-index.md)
- [Core Concepts](./core-concepts-index.md)
- [Design Foundations](./design-foundations-index.md)

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