What do developers need to know about REST API?

Each programmer nowadays uses various application programming interfaces (APIs) to exchange information between two applications. As a set of functions and procedures, APIs enables a software application to communicate with specific operating systems, applications, and services. Most websites and web applications use REST API to send requests and receive respond using HTTP protocols like GET, POST, PUT and DELETE.

At its name indicates, the REST API is developed based on representational state transfer (REST) technology – an architecture style for developing networked software applications. As REST API uses HTTP, it becomes easier for programmers to use any programming language and platform. Also, it keeps web applications portable by keeping the client and server separated. However, the web application developers must understand the salient features of REST API.

Understanding Key Features of REST APIs

Smarter Alternative to SOAP

Many web developers still use SOAP to write APIs. But REST is both simpler and smarter than SOAP. The programmers can create and implement REST APIs without putting extra time and effort. But they need additional time to write and implement APIs with SOAP. Many enterprises also provide REST APIs that access and communicate with their core services seamlessly. They even include both architecture and tools in the REST APIs.

Keeps the Client and Server Separated

While developing a web application, programmers use client to handle its front-end and server to handle its back-end. REST APIs allows programmers to keep the client and server separated. The developers are required to store the session states in the client instead of the server. Also, they can improve the application’s performance by making the client cache responses. REST API

Delivers Stateless Service

REST APIs are designed to deliver stateless service. They lack the capability to remember or store important information like user credentials. While referring to the REST API, the developers have to remind it about the required data or information. The stateless service requires programmers to provide data repeatedly. But it makes REST APIs more scalable than other APIs. The enterprises can use REST APIs seamlessly without deploying additional servers to store the current states of various clients.

Supports both XML and JSON

A REST API accesses sends and receives data through various HTTP protocols. The HTTP protocols enable programmers to work with their preferred programming language and platforms. At the same time, the REST APIs support both XML and JSON. Hence, the developers can easily make the web applications exchange data in both XML and JSON formats.  

Uses Distributed Hypermedia System

REST APIs use hypermedia which is an extension of hypertext. It uses hypermedia to make the web application development interface provide adequate links to the user and the client. The adequate links enable clients to execute specific actions of data. Each REST API further requires developers to implement Hypermedia As The Engine Of Application State (HATEOAS) principle. The principle ensures that the server respond to each request sent by the client. At the same time, the response sent by the server to the client must include adequate browsing links as part of client resources.

Option to Check Error Messages

While making a web application interact with other applications and services through APIs, the developers need to ensure that the APIs are working flawlessly. The REST architecture allows programmers to embed error messages in REST APIs. The developers can easily identify the defects and performance issues by referring to the error messages. The REST APIs provided by large enterprises even allows programmers to access and check many error messages.

Requires Programmers to Document Architectural Changes

The web application developers can make changes to the architecture of REST APIs according to their precise needs. But they must document the architectural changes adequately to make it easier for programmers to use the APIs effortlessly. However, the programmers are not required to include elaborate information about architectural changes in the documents. They can even use robust tools like Swagger to synchronize the changes and updates automatically as they keep changing the architecture of the REST API.

The web application developers often use REST APIs provided by major search engines, social networking platforms, content management systems, and ecommerce websites. For instance, web programmers nowadays use REST APIs provided by Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter, Magento, and Ebay. The web developers also have option to use REST APIs with varying platforms and programming languages.