REST (Representational State Transfer) API is a widely used architectural style for designing networked applications. It enables seamless communication between different systems over the internet by adhering to a set of predefined principles and conventions. REST APIs rely on HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and PATCH to perform operations on resources.
A "resource" in REST is any piece of information that can be named, such as a user, product, or article. Each resource is identified by a unique URL, and the operations on these resources are performed using stateless HTTP requests, meaning no client context is stored on the server between requests.
Key principles of REST include simplicity, scalability, and uniformity. Data is typically exchanged in lightweight formats like JSON or XML, making REST APIs both efficient and easy to integrate into diverse applications.
One of the main advantages of REST APIs is their platform independence. They allow developers to build interoperable applications by enabling communication between different platforms, such as web, mobile, and IoT devices.
Due to their flexibility and simplicity, REST APIs are widely used in modern software development, powering applications in e-commerce, social media, and cloud computing, among other domains.