REST stands for Representational State Transfer, and a REST API is a type of web API that uses HTTP requests to access and manipulate data. A REST API allows clients to access and manipulate resources over the internet. Resources can be anything that can be identified with a unique URL, such as a customer record, an order, or an image. The key characteristics of a REST API include:
Client-server architecture: The client and server are separated, with each responsible for a distinct set of concerns.
Statelessness: Each request from the client to the server must contain all the necessary information for the server to understand and process the request. The server does not maintain any client state.
Uniform interface: A uniform set of resources is accessed through a consistent interface, such as HTTP. Each resource is identified by a unique URL and can be operated on using a standard set of HTTP methods, such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE.
Cacheability: The responses from a REST API are designed to be cacheable, which can improve performance and reduce server load.
Layered system: The client interacts with a layered system of servers, allowing for scalability and flexibility in the architecture.
A REST API can be used to integrate different systems or applications and is widely used in web and mobile applications. Many popular web services, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google Maps, expose their functionality through REST APIs.