REST API

• Multiple Endpoints: A REST API usually has different endpoints for different resources (e.g., /users, /orders).

• Fixed Data Structure: The server determines the structure and amount of data returned, which can sometimes result in over-fetching or under-fetching.

• Predefined Responses: Each endpoint returns a fixed set of data, and customizing the response requires modifying the endpoint or adding new one

• Less Flexible: Clients typically receive a full resource representation, and changes to the data format may require updates to the server or API versioning.

• Multiple Requests: Nested or related data often requires multiple API calls, potentially leading to performance inefficiencies.

• Versioning Required: REST often uses versioning (e.g., /api/v1/) to manage changes and avoid breaking existing clients. This can lead to version sprawl over time.

• Separate Error Responses: Errors are usually returned in different HTTP status codes (e.g., 404, 500), making it simpler but also less flexible in terms of combining partial data with errors.

• No Type System: REST APIs do not inherently include a type system. JSON Schema or similar tools can be used, but they are not part of the REST standard.

REST API Example

• Endpoint 1: /users/1 (to get user details)

• Endpoint 2: /users/1/posts (to get the user's posts)

1. Request 1 (Get user details):

GET /users/1

Response:

{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "[e-mail]"
}

1. Request 2 (Get user's posts):

GET /users/1/posts

Response:

[
  {
    "postId": 101,
    "title": "My first post",
    "content": "This is the content of my first post."
  },
  {
    "postId": 102,
    "title": "Another day, another post",
    "content": "Here's some more content."
  }
]