What Is REST API? How To Build A RESTful Web Service

What Is REST API?

REST API is a term that describes how data is transferred between different applications over the internet. REST APIs are often used in mobile apps, websites, and other software programs.

This tutorial will show you how to build a RESTful web service using PHP and MySQL.

REST APIs are designed to work with HTTP requests and responses. They use standard HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS, TRACE, CONNECT, and PATCH. These methods are used to transfer data between two endpoints.

Create a Database Connection.

You need to connect to the database before you can start building your application. This is done using the mysql_connect() function.

Define the HTTP Request Methods.

There are three main methods of communication between a client (the user) and server (your website): GET, POST, and DELETE. These are called request methods because they describe what type of data will be sent with each request.

Implement the GET Method.

The GET method is the simplest one. It sends no data at all. Instead, it asks the server for a resource identified by its URL. This means that when you use the GET method, you’re telling the server to return the contents of a particular file.

Implement the POST Method.

The POST method is more complex than the GET method because it requires sending some data along with the request. You can send any type of data using the POST method, but there are two common ones: application/x-www-form-urlencoded and multipart/form-data.

What is an API?

API stands for Application Programming Interface. The API provides a set of rules or protocols by which software components may interact with each other. The API interface definition describes how messages should be formatted and transmitted between applications. APIs often provide a standard way of integrating two different applications.

The REST API uses HTTP methods to transfer data. The REST API uses JSON format.

REST stands for Representational State Transfer. REST API is based on stateless architecture. REST API does not maintain any kind of session across requests.

HTTP is a protocol that specifies how web servers communicate with clients. Web browsers send HTTP request to a web server using GET method. A web browser sends a GET request to a web server if it wants information from the server.

GET stands for Get. GET method retrieves specified resource from the server.

POST stands for Post. POST method creates a new resource on the server.

PUT stands for Put. PUT method replaces existing resource on the server. PUT method overwrites the contents of a file.

DELETE stands for Delete. DELETE method removes a resource from the server. DELETE method deletes a resource permanently.