REST APIs & HTTP Requests - Part 1

  The speaker discusses the HTTP protocol, focusing on key concepts such as Uniform Resource Locator (URL), request, and response. Here's a summary of the main points covered:

1. HTTP Protocol Overview:

   • HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is a protocol used for transferring information on the web.
   • It encompasses various types of REST APIs, functioning by sending requests and receiving responses via HTTP messages.

2. Request-Response Process:

   • When a client (e.g., a web browser) requests a web page, it sends an HTTP request to the server hosting the page.
   • The server attempts to find the requested resource (e.g., an HTML file) and sends it back to the client in an HTTP response.
   • The response includes information such as the resource type, length, and other metadata.

3. Uniform Resource Locator (URL):

   • URL is the most common way to locate resources on the web.
   • It consists of three main parts: the scheme (protocol), the internet address or base URL, and the route (location on the server).

4. Request and Response Structure:

   • The request message includes the request method (e.g., GET), headers, and sometimes a request body.
   • The response message includes the response start line (version, status code, and descriptive phrase), headers, and the response body (requested file or resource).

5. HTTP Status Codes:

   • Status codes indicate the outcome of the request.
   • Examples include:
     • Informational responses (e.g., 100-series)
     • Successful responses (e.g., 200-series)
     • Client errors (e.g., 400-series)
     • Server errors (e.g., 500-series)

6. HTTP Methods:

   • HTTP methods specify the action to be performed on the server.
   • Examples include GET (retrieves data), POST (sends data), and others like PUT, DELETE, etc.

The video concludes by mentioning that in the next video, Python will be used to apply the GET method for retrieving data from the server and the POST method for sending data to the server.