AccentureWeb DevelopmentMedium
Explain the concept of RESTful API
RESTAPIWeb ServicesHTTP
Question
What is RESTful API? Explain its principles and how it differs from SOAP.
Interview Answer
RESTful APIs are resource-oriented HTTP APIs that are stateless, cache-friendly, and use standard methods like GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE. SOAP is protocol-heavy, XML-centric, and typically more rigid.
Explanation
REST emphasizes simplicity, scalability, and predictable semantics through HTTP. SOAP provides strict contracts and protocol-level standards but is heavier. For most modern web/mobile services, REST is preferred due to lower overhead and easier integration.
Key Points
- REST is an architectural style, SOAP is a protocol
- REST usually uses JSON; SOAP typically uses XML
- Stateless design helps horizontal scaling
- HTTP method semantics are core to REST API design
Common Mistakes
- Calling any HTTP endpoint RESTful without proper resource design
- Ignoring status codes and error contract consistency
- Using verbs in URLs instead of resource nouns
Likely Follow-Up Questions
- How would you version a REST API?
- When would you choose SOAP over REST?
- How do idempotency and retries work in REST?
Interview Timing
Target speaking time: about 4 minutes.