Course Description
REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs are simple to use but enormously powerful. To start the course, you will first learn about the fundamental concepts behind web APIs and the defining principles of REST. This includes six defining principles: uniformity, client/server decoupling, statelessness, caching, layers, and code on demand Many thousands of APIs are available—REST and otherwise—and new variations in the form of mashups are created every day. The potential for information discovery is limitless, but how can you find and test existing APIs? You will learn how to use free, public directories to find APIs in a variety of categories. You'll also see how various APIs are structured and marketed depending on purpose and cost.
The format of data that is transmitted using APIs is also critical for consistent and accurate reflection of object state and changes to state. You will learn about common data formats such as XML and JSON and see how JSON has become the standard for REST APIs.
What You'll Learn
- Identify the core benefits of web APIs
- Define REST and its six core principles: uniformity, client/server decoupling, statelessness, caching, layers, and code on demand
- Discover and access public APIs using free, public directories across a variety of categories
- Differentiate between the XML and JSON data formats
- Recognize how JSON has become the standard data format for REST APIs
Key Takeaways
- REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs are simple to use but enormously powerful.
- REST is defined by six core principles: uniformity, client/server decoupling, statelessness, caching, layers, and code on demand.
- Free, public directories let you find APIs across a variety of categories, and APIs are structured and marketed differently depending on their purpose and cost.
- The format of transmitted data is critical for consistent, accurate reflection of object state, and JSON has become the standard data format for REST APIs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this REST API Basics course cover?
The course covers the fundamental concepts behind web APIs and the defining principles of REST, including its six principles (uniformity, client/server decoupling, statelessness, caching, layers, and code on demand), how to find and test existing public APIs using free directories, and common data formats such as XML and JSON.
What are the six defining principles of REST taught in this course?
The six defining principles of REST are uniformity, client/server decoupling, statelessness, caching, layers, and code on demand.
How will I learn to find and test existing APIs?
You will learn how to use free, public directories to find APIs in a variety of categories, and see how various APIs are structured and marketed depending on their purpose and cost.
Which data formats does the course address?
The course covers common data formats including XML and JSON, and explains how JSON has become the standard for REST APIs.
What lessons are included in the course?
The course includes three lessons: The World of APIs; Rest Object State and Representation; and Data Transfer Using Common Formats.
