Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are the backbone of modern web applications. Understanding REST principles is essential for building maintainable and scalable systems.
What Makes an API RESTful?
REST (Representational State Transfer) follows these key constraints:
- Stateless - Each request contains all necessary information
- Client-Server - Separation of concerns between frontend and backend
- Cacheable - Responses can be cached for better performance
- Uniform Interface - Consistent resource identification
HTTP Methods and Their Uses
| Method | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| GET | Retrieve data | GET /api/users/123 |
| POST | Create resource | POST /api/users |
| PUT | Update resource | PUT /api/users/123 |
| DELETE | Remove resource | DELETE /api/users/123 |
Best Practices
- Use proper HTTP status codes (200, 201, 404, 500, etc.)
- Version your API (
/api/v1/...) - Implement rate limiting
- Document with OpenAPI/Swagger
{
"id": 1,
"name": "John Doe",
"email": "john@example.com"
}
"Good API design is not just about functionality, it's about creating an intuitive developer experience."
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