Understanding REST APIs: A Beginner Guide

What is a REST API?

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for building web services. APIs built on REST principles are called RESTful APIs.

HTTP Methods

• GET - Retrieve data
• POST - Create new data
• PUT/PATCH - Update existing data
• DELETE - Remove data

Best Practices

• Use nouns not verbs in endpoints
• Return proper HTTP status codes
• Version your API
• Secure with authentication tokens