What are RESTful Web Services?

RESTful web services use standard HTTP methods for CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on resources. The common HTTP methods used are GET (retrieve), POST (create), PUT (update), and DELETE (remove).

Uniform Interface

RESTful services have a uniform interface that follows a consistent set of conventions. This simplifies the interaction between clients and servers and makes it easier for clients to understand how to interact with resources.

Let's consider an example of a simple RESTful web service for managing a collection of books.

Resource Identification: Each book is a resource identified by a unique URL:

HTTP Methods and CRUD Operations

Stateless Communication

Each request from the client to the server is self-contained, containing all the information needed to perform the desired operation.

Response Format

The server responds with appropriate status codes and data representations (usually in JSON or XML) to indicate the outcome of the request or provide requested data.

Uniform Interface

Clients interact with the service using a consistent set of HTTP methods, regardless of the specific book they are working with.

Conclusion

RESTful Web Services are an architectural style for designing networked applications using HTTP methods and resource-oriented design. They prioritize stateless communication, uniform interfaces, and utilize standard CRUD operations. For example, a RESTful service managing books would use HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to interact with book resources identified by unique URLs.