What is a REST API?
A REST API is a set of rules that governs how clients (like web or mobile apps) and servers communicate over HTTP in a structured and predictable way. It’s built around the concept of resources and leverages standard HTTP methods to perform operations on those resources.
Key Characteristics of REST
1 Stateless: Each request from a client to a server is independent. The server doesn’t retain any information (or "state") about the client between requests. This ensures simplicity and scalability but means each request must contain all necessary information.
2 Resource-Based: In REST, everything is treated as a resource, identified by a unique URL. For example:
users for a collection of users
orders for orders
products for products
3 Standard HTTP Methods: REST APIs use standard HTTP methods to interact with resources:
GET: Retrieves data (e.g., fetching a user’s profile with GET /users/123).
POST: Creates new data (e.g., adding a new user with POST /users).
PUT/PATCH: Updates existing data (e.g., updating user settings with PUT /users/123 or PATCH /users/123).
DELETE: Removes data (e.g., deleting an account with DELETE /users/123
Why Use REST APIs?
REST APIs are popular for several reasons:
Simplicity: They use familiar HTTP methods and status codes, making them easy to understand and implement.
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Scalability: Their stateless nature allows servers to handle a large number of requests efficiently.
- Cacheability: Responses from REST APIs can often be cached, improving performance and reducing server load.
Limitations of REST APIs
While REST APIs are powerful, they’re not without challenges:
Over-fetching/Under-fetching: REST endpoints may return more data than needed (over-fetching) or lack related data (under-fetching), requiring multiple requests to gather all necessary information.
Network Inefficiency: For complex data retrieval, clients may need to make several API calls, which can lead to slower performance and increased network usage.
Conclusion
REST APIs are a cornerstone of modern web development, offering a simple and scalable way to connect clients and servers. By understanding their stateless, resource-based design and leveraging standard HTTP methods, developers can build robust and efficient systems. However, for complex applications, it’s worth considering REST’s limitations and exploring alternatives like GraphQL for more flexible data retrieval.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your understanding, mastering REST APIs is a key step in becoming a proficient developer.
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