First API Endpoints
Develop initial API endpoints for basic CRUD operations, demonstrating data retrieval, creation, updating, and deletion.
What are API Endpoints?
When you interact with a web application, you're often using an Application Programming Interface (API). APIs allow different software systems to communicate with each other.
An API endpoint is a specific URL where an API can be accessed by a client. Think of it as a specific address you send requests to, to perform an action or get data.
- URL Examples:
/users,/products/123 - Endpoints define the 'what' and 'where' of an API interaction.
Introducing CRUD Operations
Most applications need to manage data. The fundamental operations for data management are often summarized by the acronym CRUD:
- Create: Adding new data.
- Read: Retrieving existing data.
- Update: Modifying existing data.
- Delete: Removing data.
These operations map directly to common HTTP methods used in RESTful API design, allowing clients to perform actions on resources.