REST in Peace: A Beginner’s Guide to REST APIs

Context :

Ever heard the word API and thought it sounds like a secret hacker code? Relax — it’s just how apps talk to each other. Like when you order pizza online — the app talks to the restaurant. That’s an API doing its job.

Now meet the cool cousin of APIs: the REST API. It sends and receives data like, “Yo, give me all the user info,” and boom — data delivered, no drama.

In this blog, we’ll break down what a REST API is, why it’s useful, and how you can build one without losing your mind. No rocket science, just vibes (and a little JSON). Let’s roll!

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1. What is an API and REST API ?

→ An API (Application Programming Interface) is just a way for two apps to talk to each other. Like when you use a food delivery app — it talks to the restaurant’s system to get your order.

So, there are many type of API that we made and use them.

They are

1. SOAP

2. REST

3. Graph QL

4. RPC

Among them in the industry the most used API making architectural system that we use is “ REST API “ .

In this blog We gonna make a walk though journey to make API specifically REST API.

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2. Rest API 101 :

→ So. let’s take a deeper look into Rest-Full API and different tools related to it .

• REST API mostly does 4 primary functions :

1. POST : Create anything (product)

2. Get : Read anything (product)

3. Put : Update anything (product)

4. Delete : Delete anything (product)

So, In short REST API performs CRUD functionality.

• Post Response:

  1. Post is a Http method and moreover it take request and response ( with status code ) in JSON.

  2. What is Status code ?

     So, When server or DB give the response to the client , we return it with a number. That special number signify different thing about client and Server. So, learning status code is important , at least a overall understanding is fine and good enough.

  3. 

  4. Different status code :

     • 2XX → means everything is fine.

     • 

       4XX → client error

     • 

       5XX → server error

     • 

Disclaimer :

For any of the status code , you don't have to remember it. When ever you need it you can search for it or re-view the blog .

5. Catching :

Catching is used for getting the data fast. Some time, It maybe take some time to get the data from the database to solve the response fast we use caching.

In Catching data, We call the frequently accessed data copy in the catch and after that we just have get data from cache .

6. Parameters and Query :

So in the URL after “ ? “ is Query and “ key_value pair “ is called Parameter . And with “ & “ We can separate between two parameter.

7. Pagination :

Getting big or alot data from the DB . In one section showing the whole data is very problematic . So , With paginations … In each page we gonna show less about data for increase of performance.

8. Versioning :

Disclaimer :

So far, we’ve covered all the key concepts and jargons around REST APIs — from resources to routes, verbs to versioning. Don’t worry if it feels like a lot right now — you don’t have to master it all at once. Theory is just the beginning! In our next blog, we’ll get our hands dirty with real code, building a REST API from scratch. That’s where things will truly click.

Stay tuned — the fun part is just beginning!

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