Stateless APIs
Stateless APIs are a design principle in web development where each request from a client to a server contains all the information needed to process it, without relying on stored session data on the server. This means the server does not retain any client state between requests, making the API more scalable, reliable, and easier to cache. It is a core tenet of RESTful architecture and is commonly implemented using HTTP with tokens or credentials in each request.
Developers should use stateless APIs when building scalable web services, microservices, or distributed systems, as they simplify server management and improve performance by eliminating server-side session storage. This approach is ideal for high-traffic applications like e-commerce platforms, social media APIs, or cloud services where horizontal scaling and fault tolerance are critical. It also enhances security by reducing server-side state vulnerabilities and simplifies testing and debugging.