ASK HN:There are 3rd party application why not 4 or 5 or n party application.

3 pointsniktrix4 comments

there are 3rd party application why not 4 or 5 or n party application.

The 1st party is the platform vendor. So, Microsoft for PCs, Apple for Macs and iPhones, etc.

The 2nd party is the customer, either you or the organisation you work for.

A 3rd party is anyone else.

Choice of indefinite rather than definite article in the last case is deliberate.

The terms come from law: most contracts are between two entities ("the first party" and "the second party") and any other entities not party to the agreement are referred to as "third parties".

This. Although, theoretically, if a 3rd party would start providing an API to their app...

apis ,

Similarly, in literature there are only first person points of view, second person points of view, and third person points of view.

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