REST API Request and Response Pair

In a REST API, a request and response pair refers to the process by which a client sends a request to the API, and the API sends back a response to that request.

HTTP Request

  • The request is typically sent as an HTTP message and includes the following parts:
  • The method or HTTP verb, which indicates the desired action to be performed on the resource.
  • The endpoint or resource location, which identifies the resource the request is being made to.
  • The headers, which provide additional information about the request, such as the content type and authentication information.
  • The request body, which contains the data being sent to the API, if any.

HTTP Response

  • The API, then processes the request and sends back a response, which also typically includes the following parts:
  • The status code, which indicates the outcome of the request, such as 200 OK for a successful request or 404 Not Found if the resource could not be found.
  • The headers, which provide additional information about the response, such as the content type and caching directives.
  • The response body, which contains the data being sent back by the API, if any.

Request and Response Pair

The request and response pair forms the basis of the communication between the client and the API, and allows the client to retrieve or manipulate resources by making requests and receiving responses from the API.

It’s worth noting that the request and response pair is typically a synchronous process in REST, but it could also be asynchronous using some techniques such as Server-Sent Events (SSE) or Web Sockets.