RESTful architecture and best practices

In the world of web API design, there has been an array of iterative, and sometimes competing, efforts to find a standard system and format to deliver information across multiple environments.

In recent years, the web development community at large seems to have—at least temporarily—settled on REST as the de facto approach. REST came after a few years of SOAP dominance and introduced a simpler method for sharing data.

REST APIs aren't bound to a format and are typically cacheable and delivered via HTTP or HTTPS.

The biggest takeaway to start with is an adherence to HTTP verbs; those initially specified for the Web are honored in their original intent. For example, HTTP verbs, such as DELETE and PATCH fell into ...

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