A REST API allows different applications to communicate over HTTP. For example, a frontend React application can request job information from a Spring Boot backend through REST APIs.
Common HTTP methods include GET for retrieving information, POST for creating information, PUT or PATCH for updating information, and DELETE for removing information.
REST APIs commonly exchange information using JSON. A good API should also use appropriate HTTP status codes such as 200 OK, 201 Created, 400 Bad Request, 401 Unauthorized, 404 Not Found, and 500 Internal Server Error.
Understanding REST is essential for modern backend and full-stack development.