What is the REST API?

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) allow different software systems to communicate with each other and share data, and the REST API is a type of API mechanism.

Join us in this blog as we explore REST APIs, their basic principles, how they work, their importance, advantages and challenges, and more. Let’s start!

REST, which stands for Representational State Transfer, is an architectural style and approach to building APIs that takes advantage of existing protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, and URL routing.

RESTful APIs use HTTP requests to POST, GET, PUT, and DELETE data over the internet. RESTful APIs access resources via simple URI paths. But first, let’s start by understanding APIs to understand REST APIs better!

What is an API and what are the basic principles of it?

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of functions and procedures that facilitates building applications. It acts as an interface between different software programmes, allowing them to communicate with each other.

Traditional APIs often rely on specific interface definitions or custom data exchange formats. Here are the basic principles of API:

• Standardized access
• Abstraction
• Loose coupling
• Reusability

How do APIs work? What are the benefits of an API?

APIs enable communication between separate systems through a defined request-response messaging system. Backend services process HTTP requests made by clients to API endpoints. Responses return requested data in standardized formats like JSON.

When a user interacts with an app or website, the app or website makes requests to an API, which acts as an intermediary to the actual service or database.

The API authenticates and authorizes requests, handles the business logic, and then returns the response to the client. This decouples the interface from the implementation. Therefore, it provides many benefits, especially for developers.

Here are the key benefits of an API:

Extensibility

Developers can build on existing functionality through the composition of APIs.

Shareability

APIs promote code reuse and data reuse across multiple applications.

Scalability

Well-architected APIs scale easily to support increased traffic.

Third-party innovation

APIs empower outside developers to build on a platform, vastly extending its reach and possibilities.

Modularity

APIs encapsulate services into independent and interchangeable modules.

What is the reason behind calling an API REST?

• Adheres to core REST architectural constraints like separation of concerns, statelessness, and layered system style.
• Leverages HTTP well for methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to act on resources.
• Responses and requests conform to well-defined hypermedia formats and content negotiations.
• Standard REST interfaces are used to act upon resources identified in requests, regardless of actual implementation or data storage.

Is the API always REST?

While most modern API development follows REST guidelines, not all APIs have to adhere strictly to REST. APIs designed around alternative architectures can still be useful for narrower use cases where REST constraints do not apply or add unnecessary complexity.

APIs can be described as RESTish or RESTful based on how closely they adhere to common REST principles, as the level of "RESTfulness" is a spectrum.

What is the difference between an API and a REST API?

• APIs can use any architecture, while REST refers specifically to APIs following the REST architectural style.
• REST APIs emphasize resources, statelessness, and shared vocabulary, while APIs can be stateful with custom semantics.
• REST APIs leverage HTTP and standard response formats like JSON and XML, while APIs can use custom protocols and data exchange formats.
• By design, REST APIs aim to behave similarly to the Web with discoverability and link traversal between resources.

The basic principles of REST

Following the principles below helps ensure APIs are lightweight, scalable, and flexible:

• Client-server provides clear separation between client and server responsibilities.
• The server does not store any client session context with statelessness.
• Responses must clearly indicate cacheability.
• A uniform interface leverages standard methods and media types.
• Layered systems are client-unaware of intermediary servers.
• Code-on-demand extensions are downloaded and run on the client side.

Here are the three key principles of the RESTful API:

URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)

In REST, every unique resource is identifiable by a URI. For example, the URI for a customer resource could be https://api.example.com/customers/123. URIs alone represent the structure and relationships between resources.

HTTP Methods

• GET: Request a representation of a resource.
• POST: Create a new resource and return the URI.
• PUT: Update an existing resource.
• PATCH: Partially update a resource
• DELETE: Remove a resource

Status Codes

• 200 OK: the request was successful.
• 201 201 Created: A resource has been created.
• 204 No Content: The request was successful, but it did not return any content.
• 400 Bad Request: Parameters and fields are invalid.
• 401 Unauthorized: Authentication failed
• 404 Not Found: The server could not locate the requested resource.

How do REST APIs work?

REST API enables accessing each unique resource through a standard HTTP interface, such as URLs, following an architectural style.

When a client sends an HTTP request, like GET/customers, the server returns a JSON or XML representation of that resource's state. Other request methods can be used to create, update, or delete resources.

Common questions about the REST API

What does a RESTful API client request include?

• A URL that uniquely identifies the resource.
• An HTTP request method like GET, POST, PUT, etc.
• Request parameters for queries or filtering if needed.
• Request the body payload for creation or update if needed.
• Authentication headers for secure access.

What are the RESTful API authentication methods?

• Basic HTTP Authentication
• OAuth 1.0 and OAuth 2.0
• JSON Web Tokens (JWT)
• API Keys
• Various certificate-based methods

What does the RESTful API server response include?

• Status line indicating request success or failure
• Response headers with metadata
• Entity body containing the resource representation
• For example, a 200 OK response returns the requested resource body in JSON format.

The importance of REST

• APIs can connect disparate systems regardless of their programming languages and interoperability.
• Stateless design improves performance under high loads with scalability.
• Loose coupling allows components to vary independently with flexibility.
• Caching and reuse reduce duplication across clients with efficiency.

Advantages and challenges of REST

• The learning curve for developers familiar with RPC-style APIs
• Lack of standardization for HATEOAS practices
• Versioning can be difficult without breaking changes.
• Potential performance issues for heavy processing APIs

How can the REST API leverage the stablecoin ecosystem?

The REST API is a crucial link in the digital landscape, facilitating communication between software systems. It enhances accessibility and usability in stablecoins by integrating crypto wallets into applications, simplifying transactions, and enabling merchants to accept crypto payments.

It provides real-time market data, enabling informed decision-making and automated crypto trading and contributing to market liquidity.

The REST API also fosters innovation by offering developer-friendly tools and documentation, encouraging the creation of innovative applications within the stablecoin ecosystem.

For example, EURK, a secure stablecoin where 1 EURK = 1 Euro, takes full advantage of this interoperability by offering transparent blockchain transactions that are fast and secure.

EURK euro stablecoin provides a secure digital form of currency like the euro that can be used across borders through blockchain technology. Therefore, it brings the benefits of crypto and fiat currencies together by eliminating their disadvantages on the blockchain.

By doing that, EURK provides stability of stablecoin and security of stablecoin for crypto enthusiasts. As the best stablecoin for the euro, you can experience the power of euro currency in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem and make easy, fast, and secure transactions with EURK.

All you need is a euro stablecoin wallet to buy EURK from secure crypto exchanges such as Bitay, KoinBX, and Coinstore. Experience security with the euro stablecoin platform EURK and adapt to the future with the future of money!

The bottom line

RESTful API and its implementation of the REST architectural style have revolutionized how applications and services connect on the internet.

By leveraging existing protocols and promoting scalability, flexibility, and interoperability, REST allows APIs to serve as a universal interface across systems.

As organizations increasingly leverage APIs as integration backbones, understanding REST principles and best practices is invaluable for developers. REST APIs also leverage the crypto ecosystem, especially with stablecoins such as EURK.

If you want to grow your business with a secure euro stablecoin, EURK is here for you. Become a partner today and explore the possibilities and benefits of blockchain with the security of euro currency in the digital realm through EURK!