In this article, we cover Top REST API Interview Questions and Answers asked by hiring managers. These REST API Interview Questions and Answers will help you crack the interviews and clear concepts.
RESTful APIs have become the go-to choice for building web services due to their flexibility, scalability, and ease of use.
They allow developers to create lightweight and efficient applications that can communicate with other applications and devices over the web.
As a result, many companies are seeking professionals with expertise in RESTful API development.
If you’re preparing for a RESTful API interview, it’s essential to be familiar with the common questions that might be asked.
In this article, we will cover the top 20 RESTful API interview questions and answers that will help you prepare for your next interview.
1. What is an API and what is its purpose?
API stands for Application Programming Interface. Its purpose is to allow communication between different software applications.
2. What is a RESTful API?
A RESTful API is an architectural style for creating web services that use HTTP requests to access and manipulate data.
3. What are the characteristics of a RESTful API?
The characteristics of a RESTful API include being stateless, having a uniform interface, being cacheable, having layered systems, and being a client-server.
4. What HTTP methods are used in RESTful API?
The HTTP methods used in RESTful API are GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, OPTIONS, and HEAD.
5. What is the difference between GET and POST methods?
The GET method is used to retrieve data from a server, while the POST method is used to send data to a server.
6. What is a resource in RESTful API?
A resource is a piece of data that is accessible through a RESTful API.
7. What is the difference between a URI and a URL?
A URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is a string of characters used to identify a resource, while a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a type of URI that includes the protocol for accessing the resource.
8. What is versioning in RESTful API?
Versioning is the process of creating different versions of an API to support changes or updates to the API.
9. What is a query parameter?
A query parameter is a key-value pair added to the end of a URL that is used to filter or sort data.
10. What is a response code?
A response code is a three-digit code returned by a server to indicate the status of a request. Examples include 200 for success, 404 for not found, and 500 for internal server error.
11. What is content negotiation in RESTful API?
Content negotiation is the process of determining the format of the data being sent and received by a RESTful API.
12. What is HATEOAS?
HATEOAS (Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State) is a constraint of RESTful API that requires that the server provide links to related resources in the response.
13. What is caching in RESTful API?
Caching is the process of storing data in a cache to improve performance by reducing the number of requests to the server.
14. What is pagination in RESTful API?
Pagination is the process of dividing a large set of data into smaller, more manageable pages.
15. What is rate limiting in RESTful API?
Rate limiting is the process of limiting the number of requests that can be made to a RESTful API in a given time period.
16. What is OAuth?
OAuth is an authentication protocol used to grant access to a third-party application without sharing the user’s password.
17. What is JWT?
JWT (JSON Web Token) is a compact, URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between two parties.
18. What is CORS?
CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) is a security feature that allows a web page to make requests to a different domain than the one that served the web page.
19. What is the difference between SOAP and REST?
SOAP is a protocol for exchanging structured information in the implementation of web services, while REST is an architectural style for creating web services.
20. What is the difference between the PUT and PATCH methods?
The PUT method is used to update an entire resource, while the PATCH method is used to update a part of a resource.