Let's dive deeper into what a REST API is and how it works, since we are about to build it. Understanding these fundamental concepts will lay a solid foundation for the rest of our project.

Plan

• 🤔 What is a REST API?
• 🔍 Key Principles of REST;
• 🤷‍♂️ How REST APIs Operate.

🤔 What is a REST API?

REST, or Representational State Transfer, is an architectural style for designing networked applications. REST APIs are a set of rules for creating and interacting with web services, facilitating seamless data exchange and operations across software systems.

🔍 Key Principles of REST

To grasp the essence of REST APIs, it's essential to remember these core principles:

• Statelessness: In REST, each client and server interaction is self-contained. All the necessary information must be included in the request itself;
• Resource-Centric: REST treats everything as a resource, uniquely identifying each resource by a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier). These resources interact through standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE;
• Representation: Resources in REST can have multiple representations, such as JSON or XML. This flexibility allows clients to choose their preferred format for data exchange.

🤷‍♂️ How REST APIs Operate

Now, let's take a closer look at how REST APIs operate. The process involves several key steps:

1. Request: Clients initiate requests by providing all necessary details within each request. This includes the HTTP method, URI, and required parameters or data;
2. Resource: The API processes the request based on the resource's unique URI. This URI serves as the address for the requested resource;
3. HTTP Methods: Standard HTTP methods determine the operation type to perform. For example, GET is used for retrieval, POST for creation, PUT for updating, and DELETE for removal;
4. Response: After processing the request, the server sends a response in the chosen representation format, typically JSON or XML. This response contains the requested data or confirmation of the action performed;
5. Statelessness: REST interactions are designed to be stateless, meaning no session data is stored between requests. Each request is independent and self-sufficient.