What is API?
Application Programming Interface which is widely known as API allows two applications to talk to each other. It enables apps to exchange data and functionality easily and securely.
The simple API Process will be like the below figure:
Most widely used API Architecture types are:
- REST architecture
- SOAP architecture
How API Works?
- RESTFUL system consists of a client who requests the resources and a server who has the resources.
- Client sends the requests to retrieve or modify resources, and servers send responses to those requests.
- A request consists of an HTTP Verb, header, and path.
- HTTP Verbs are like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, etc.
- After sending the request, the server sends us the response along with the response code with a series of 1xx,2xx,3xx,4xx.5xx where xx means a number.
- 1xx- Informational Responses
- 2xx-Successful Responses
- 3xx-Redirection Responses
- 4xx-Client Error Responses
- 5xx-Server Error Responses
Let’s see the major differences between REST and SOAP:
REST |
SOAP |
| REST means Representational State Transfer | SOAP means Simple Object Access Protocol |
| REST API has built error handling | SOAP API does not have error handling |
| REST can make use of SOAP as the protocol which is underlying for web services because it is just an architecture at an end. | SOAP cannot make use of REST since SOAP is a protocol based on XML and REST is an architectural pattern. |
| REST doesn’t have any official standard | SOAP has an official standard |
| REST API uses XML or JSON to send and receive data | Uses WSDL for communication |
| In REST API, there is no envelope for payload | In SOAP API, Payload will have an envelope as additional security for the original message |
| REST inherits security from the underlying transport | SOAP defines its security |
| The payload can be any format | The payload must support the defined SOAP schema |
| Less Bandwidth required | More Bandwidth required |
| Less Security | High Security |
Cover Photo by Florian Olivo on Unsplash
