glossary2 min read

REST API Explained

REST APIs use HTTP methods and URLs to access resources. Learn the principles.

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for APIs. Principles: resources identified by URLs (/users/123), actions via HTTP methods (GET read, POST create, PUT update, DELETE remove), stateless requests (each contains all needed info), JSON responses. A well-designed REST API: GET /api/users (list), GET /api/users/1 (read), POST /api/users (create), PUT /api/users/1 (update), DELETE /api/users/1 (remove).