What Is a REST API and Why Does It Power Most of the Web

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An API, or Application Programming Interface, acts as a communication bridge that allows different software systems to interact with each other. REST APIs leverage native internet rules through the HTTP protocol, making system communication simpler and more standardized. Instead of complex commands, REST treats everything as resources — such as /customers — and uses standard HTTP verbs: GET to read, POST to create, PUT to update, and DELETE to remove data. A core principle of REST is being stateless, meaning the server retains no memory of previous requests between interactions. Every request must therefore carry all the information needed for the server to process it independently.

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ProgrammingDEV Community ·

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