REST API Endpoints
REST API endpoints are specific URLs that represent resources in a RESTful web service, allowing clients to perform operations like retrieving, creating, updating, or deleting data via HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE. They follow a stateless, client-server architecture and use standard HTTP status codes to indicate the outcome of requests. This concept is fundamental for building scalable and interoperable web APIs that enable communication between different software systems.
Developers should learn REST API endpoints when building or consuming web services, as they provide a standardized way to expose and interact with data over the internet, commonly used in web and mobile applications, microservices, and integrations. For example, an e-commerce app might use endpoints like '/products' to list items and '/orders' to place purchases, facilitating clear and predictable interactions. Understanding this is crucial for roles involving backend development, API design, or full-stack projects where data exchange is required.