REST – An appliacyion programming interface (API) the REST API (Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface) is a web service that follows REST principles to enable communication between clients and servers over the internet. REST APIs allow applications to request and exchange data using standard HTTP methods.
REST API features
- Stateless – Each request from a client to the server must contain all necessary information, and the server does not store client state.
- Resource-Based – Resources (e.g., users, products, orders) are identified by URLs (Uniform Resource Locators).
- Standard HTTP Methods:
- GET – Retrieve data from the server.
- POST – Create new resources.
- PUT – Update existing resources.
- DELETE – Remove resources.
REST APIs typically exchange data in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) or XML (Extensible Markup Language), with JSON being the most common. They also have a uniform interface and follow consistent patterns in API design, making it easy for developers to use.
