What is restapi?

A REST API (Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface) is a way for different software systems to talk to each other over the internet. It uses standard web protocols (like HTTP) and simple commands (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to request or send data, usually in a format like JSON or XML.

Let's break it down

  • REST: A set of rules for building web services that are easy to use and scale.
  • API: A collection of functions that let one program interact with another.
  • HTTP methods: GET retrieves data, POST creates new data, PUT updates existing data, DELETE removes data.
  • Resources: The pieces of data you work with (e.g., users, posts, products) identified by URLs.
  • Stateless: Each request contains all the information needed; the server doesn’t remember previous requests.

Why does it matter?

REST APIs let developers connect apps, services, and devices quickly without worrying about the underlying hardware or programming language. This makes it possible to build mobile apps, web front‑ends, and third‑party integrations that all share the same data source, speeding up development and improving consistency.

Where is it used?

  • Mobile apps (e.g., a weather app fetching forecasts)
  • Web applications (e.g., an online store showing product listings)
  • Cloud services (e.g., storing files in Dropbox or Google Drive)
  • IoT devices (e.g., smart thermostats sending temperature data)
  • Third‑party integrations (e.g., a payment gateway like Stripe)

Good things about it

  • Simple and uses familiar web standards (HTTP, URLs)
  • Language‑agnostic: any language that can make web requests can use it
  • Scalable: stateless design lets servers handle many simultaneous users
  • Easy to test with browsers or tools like Postman
  • Widely adopted, so lots of community support and documentation

Not-so-good things

  • Can become inefficient if many small requests are needed (chatty APIs)
  • Limited to the capabilities of HTTP; real‑time communication may need WebSockets or other protocols
  • No built‑in security; you must add authentication (e.g., OAuth) and encryption (HTTPS) yourself
  • Versioning can be tricky; changing an API may break existing clients if not managed carefully.