REST API Design Fundamentals Every Backend Developer Should Know

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REST (Representational State Transfer) is a standardized approach for applications to communicate over the internet using HTTP, and has become central to modern software development. According to Postman's 2024 State of the API Report, 74% of development teams now follow an API-first approach, up from 66% the previous year. REST APIs operate through five core HTTP methods — GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and PATCH — each serving a distinct purpose for interacting with server resources. The architecture rests on six key principles, including statelessness, resource-oriented design, uniform interface, and client-server separation, which together make APIs scalable and predictable. Companies such as Stripe, Shopify, and GitHub have built their core business models around well-designed REST APIs, underscoring the professional value of mastering these principles.

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