Is That REST API Really RPC? Roy Fielding Seems to Think So

Question

A large amount of what I thought I knew about REST is apparently wrong - and I\'m not alone. This question has a long lead-in, but it seems to be necessary because the infor

Answer 1

I think over the number of years that REST has been out there now, technologists have come to terms with the concept of a Resource and what really is or isn't RESTful.

According to the Richardson Maturity Model, there are 4 levels (0-3) that define how RESTful your API is, with 3 meaning a truly RESTful API, just as Roy Fielding intended it to be.

Level 0 is when you have one entry point URI - like SOAP.

Level 1 means the API is able to distinguish between different resources, and has more than one entry points - still smells of SOAP.

Level 2 is when you use HTTP verbs - GET, POST, DELETE primarily. This is the level at which REST really comes into picture.

At Level 3, you start using hypermedia controls to make your API truly RESTful.

Suggested links for further reading:

• What is the Richardson Maturity Model?
• Martin Fowler's blog: Richardson Maturity Model