API Design Basics Quiz

GET is an HTTP method that is considered both idempotent and safe because it retrieves data from a server without causing any changes to the resource. This means multiple identical requests will yield the same result without side effects, making it suitable for fetching information without altering the state of the server.

REST stands for Representational State Transfer, a software architectural style that defines a set of constraints for creating web services. It emphasizes stateless communication, resource representation, and the use of standard HTTP methods, enabling scalable and efficient interaction between clients and servers in a distributed environment.

The status code 201 Created indicates that the server has successfully fulfilled a request to create a new resource. This response is typically returned after a POST request, confirming that the resource has been created and is now available at the specified location.

API versioning through the URL path is preferred because it makes the version explicit and easily accessible, improving clarity for developers and users. This approach allows for straightforward identification of the API version in requests, facilitates caching, and simplifies documentation, making it easier to manage and maintain different versions of the API.

Basic Authentication transmits user credentials (username and password) encoded in Base64 with each request. This method is straightforward but lacks security since Base64 encoding is easily reversible, making it vulnerable to interception unless used over HTTPS. It is commonly used in simple API authentication scenarios.

In REST API design, each resource is uniquely identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). This allows clients to access and manipulate resources through a consistent and standardized way, ensuring that each resource can be distinctly referenced and interacted with over the web.

Rate limiting is a crucial mechanism for APIs, designed to prevent excessive use or abuse by clients. By imposing a cap on the number of requests within a specific timeframe, it ensures fair usage, enhances performance, and safeguards server resources, ultimately maintaining the stability and reliability of the service.

Common API architectural patterns include REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and SOAP, each offering unique approaches to data exchange. REST uses standard HTTP methods, GraphQL allows clients to request specific data, gRPC supports high-performance communication with protocol buffers, and SOAP provides a protocol for exchanging structured information, making them widely adopted in various applications.

An API response should include a status code, error message, and error code to provide clients with clear and actionable information about the error. The status code indicates the type of error, the error message offers a human-readable description, and the error code allows for programmatic handling, facilitating easier debugging and resolution.

A stateless API operates under the principle that each request from the client to the server must contain all the information needed to understand and process that request. This means the server does not retain any client-specific data or session information, ensuring scalability and simplicity in handling multiple requests.

PATCH is the HTTP method specifically designed for partial updates of a resource. Unlike PUT, which replaces the entire resource, PATCH allows clients to send only the changes they want to apply, making it more efficient for modifying specific fields without affecting the entire resource.

API pagination allows large datasets to be divided into smaller, manageable chunks called pages. This approach improves performance and user experience by enabling clients to request only a subset of data at a time, reducing load times and minimizing server strain while still providing access to the entire dataset.