REST, SOAP and API protocols
Not all APIs are created alike. In this section, we explore the differences between various REST, SOAP and API protocols that are still emerging into the mainstream. Learn how various protocols work, if they will fit into your architecture and how to get around the intricacies of various types.
Top Stories
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Tip
18 Oct 2022
12 API security best practices to protect your business
As with any software development cycle, API security must be built in from the start. Follow these guidelines to design, deploy and protect your APIs. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Nov 2021
How to choose between REST vs. gRPC
Does your REST API and subsequent JSON or XML data create a bottleneck in your architecture? Perhaps it's time to consider gRPC instead of REST for your web services. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Nov 2021
6 top API testing training and online courses
Numerous API testing and training certification courses are available to beginners and seasoned professionals, so we narrowed the field to some of the more comprehensive programs. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2021
8 fundamental microservices security best practices
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News
24 Aug 2021
Solo.io folds API gateway in with Istio service mesh
Solo.io is among the service mesh vendors aligning the emerging tech with existing network management as enterprise adoption expands. Continue Reading
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30 Jul 2021
Keycloak tutorial: How to secure different application types
IT pros and developers can secure applications with the open source IAM tool Keycloak. When you don't need to worry about passwords, it reduces the potential attack surface. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jul 2021
Secure applications with Keycloak authentication tool
As we look toward the future of authentication, open source tools, such as Keycloak, provide companies a way to secure applications to its specific needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jul 2021
Microservices vs. APIs: How they differ and work together
Enterprises still rely on monolithic systems, but apps increasingly require speed, scale and flexibility. Here's how microservices and APIs achieve that, separately and together. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Jul 2021
The 5 essential HTTP methods in RESTful API development
Review these five common RESTful API HTTP methods that developers need to know. Use this guide to understand the differences and uses for each of the methods. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2021
The 6 non-negotiable REST architecture constraints
While REST-centric design isn't necessarily hard, there are some non-negotiable rules when it comes to resource provisioning. Here are six all architects should know. Continue Reading
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Quiz
15 Jun 2021
REST web services and RESTful API quiz for developers
How well do you know RESTful APIs and their history? Test your knowledge of RESTful web services with this 10-question quiz on REST-based architectures. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Feb 2021
An overview of headless architecture design
Decoupling the back-end components of an application is certainly valuable, but what about the front end? This is where headless architecture comes into play. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Nov 2020
A head-to-head GraphQL vs. REST performance faceoff
Both GraphQL and REST aim to simplify API development processes, but which one is right for your project? Find out by examining this API design style faceoff. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
27 Oct 2020
Build a Power Automate flow using the Graph API
Administrators of Office 365 or Azure platforms can benefit from using newer Microsoft software technologies to handle many jobs, such as automating tasks and generating reports. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2020
IBM's OpenAPI Comment Parser helps devs document APIs
IBM's OpenAPI Comment Parser gives developers a new tool to simplify the process of documenting APIs, so that developers down the line will be able to use them with less effort. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Mar 2020
The 3 tenets of microservice messaging patterns
In a microservices architecture, there's no question that it's tricky to ensure effective service communication. Review these three tenets of microservice messaging patterns. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2020
Make legacy IoT data protocols part of an IoT strategy
IT pros implement IoT devices to create and connect data; however, the lack of one IoT standard protocol counters the ability of IoT devices to work together. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jan 2020
How to improve API documentation with Swagger and OpenAPI
Discover why developers should take advantage of Swagger tooling and the OpenAPI specification to streamline API design, documentation and management, especially for RESTful APIs. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 Oct 2019
What's the difference between API and web services testing?
Web services and APIs aren't the same -- or are they? How do web services and API testing differ, and what does each type of test aim to achieve? Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Aug 2019
Think carefully about API language standards
API language standards were few and far between in the past, but now cloud has made API standardization more important than ever. Learn what you need to know about these standards. Continue Reading
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Quiz
11 Jul 2016
Can you answer these questions about RESTful design?
As RESTful design becomes synonymous with API creation, it may be helpful to spruce up some knowledge on it. This quick quiz reviews some of the key aspects of working with REST. Continue Reading