REST isn’t just a set of suggestions—it’s built on a strict set of architectural principles that make it scalable, flexible, and resilient. These six constraints define what makes an API truly RESTful and ensure it can handle anything from simple web apps to large-scale distributed systems. Let’s break them down and see why they matter.
The internet runs on a lot of things—electricity, servers, cat videos—but when it comes to how web applications communicate, REST has been leading the way for over two decades. But where did REST come from? And how did it go from an academic concept to powering the world’s most significant web services? Let’s dive into the origin and evolution of REST.
If you’ve worked with web services, you’ve probably heard of REST. It’s everywhere—from APIs powering your favorite apps to backend systems handling millions of users. But what exactly is REST, and why is it the go-to approach for modern web development? Let’s break it down.