Direct answer
What is REST API?
- Short definition
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REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for web services where clients communicate with servers through standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE.
- Why it matters
- REST APIs are the standard for web and mobile apps to communicate with backend servers, making them essential for modern application development.
How teams use REST API
Use this term when you need to describe the practical role it plays in a software project.
Common use cases
- Mobile apps fetching data from Laravel backends
- Vue.js SPAs connecting to API servers
- Third-party integrations accessing your platform
- Microservices communication
Examples of REST API
These examples show the term in everyday product, platform, or operations work.
Real-world examples
- GET /api/users returns list of users as JSON
- POST /api/orders creates a new order in the database
- Mobile app login via POST /api/auth/login