What is RESTful API, and how is it used in Python?
A RESTful API is an architectural style for building web services that use HTTP requests. In Python, frameworks like Flask and Django REST Framework facilitate creating RESTful APIs.
A RESTful API (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style that defines a set of constraints for building web services, enabling communication between clients and servers over HTTP. It is designed to be stateless, meaning each request from a client contains all the information needed to process it, allowing for greater scalability and performance. In Python, creating RESTful APIs can be efficiently accomplished using frameworks such as Flask and Django REST Framework. Flask is a lightweight framework that provides the flexibility to build simple APIs with minimal setup, while Django REST Framework extends Django’s capabilities to create robust and feature-rich APIs. Both frameworks support key RESTful principles, such as the use of standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) for operations on resources and proper handling of status codes to communicate the results of requests. By adhering to RESTful principles, developers can create APIs that are easy to use, maintain, and integrate with various client applications. Implementing RESTful APIs in Python allows for the development of scalable web applications and microservices that can interact seamlessly across different platforms.