Stateful APIs
Stateful APIs are application programming interfaces that maintain server-side state across multiple requests from a client, typically using sessions, tokens, or other mechanisms to track user interactions. This contrasts with stateless APIs, where each request is independent and contains all necessary information. Stateful APIs are commonly used in scenarios requiring persistent user sessions, such as authentication, shopping carts, or real-time applications.
Developers should use stateful APIs when building applications that require continuity between requests, such as user login sessions, multi-step workflows, or real-time features like chat or gaming. They are particularly useful in traditional web applications where server-side session management is needed, but can add complexity in scaling compared to stateless designs. Stateful APIs are often implemented with technologies like session cookies, JWT tokens, or server-side storage.