Web basics

REST

The most common convention for structuring web APIs around URLs and HTTP verbs.

REST is a set of conventions that says: use plain URLs for things (`/orders/42`) and use HTTP verbs for actions — GET to read, POST to create, PUT/PATCH to update, DELETE to remove. It's less a strict rulebook and more the widely-shared grammar most APIs speak, which is why AI-generated backend code defaults to it. If you understand 'GET fetches, POST creates,' you can read the majority of API docs on the internet.