Leading on from the prev article – An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and interact with each other. In the context of REST (Representational State Transfer), an API is a specific architectural style for designing networked applications. REST APIs are designed around a few key principles, the most important of which is the use of standard HTTP methods (such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE) to perform actions on resources, which are represented as URLs. These APIs are stateless, meaning each request from a client to the server must contain all the information necessary to understand and fulfill the request, without relying on any previous interactions. REST APIs use a uniform and consistent structure for the endpoints, making them predictable and easy to use. Data is typically exchanged in well-defined formats, such as JSON or XML, making it easier for different systems to understand and process the information. RESTful APIs have become a widely adopted standard for web services due to their simplicity, scalability, and ease of integration across a variety of platforms and programming languages.