Need clarification for Jira products

[Gokul Do]

I would like to know the difference between Jira core vs software vs service desk.

Is there separate APIs for these products or can we use the same jira API for all products.

[Deepanshu Natani]

Jira at its core is a tool powered by a workflow engine that allows you to track issues or tasks through a predefined, highly customizable workflow.

Jira core is suited for Business project management or to fulfill needs of business teams.

Jira Software provides additional functionalities for software teams: the ability to plan agile work from project backlog to sprint, fully customizable Kanban and Scrum boards, the ability to estimate time for issues as you prioritize your backlog, and robust reporting features, ranging from burndown charts to velocity measurements.

Jira Service Management provides functionalities to cater to support teams for teams who receive incoming issues/requests from other teams/customers.

You can go through the following links for detailed comparison between Jira Core, Software and Service Management:

https://confluence.atlassian.com/confeval/jira-software-evaluator-resources/jira-software-which-jira-do-i-need

A solution partner has also created this nice comparison : http://www.akeles.com/what-are-the-differences-between-jira-software-jira-service-desk-and-jira-core/

More details regarding the API's are available here: https://developer.atlassian.com/cloud/