What are path parameters used for in RESTAPI?

What are path parameters used for in RESTAPI?

• A. To authenticate users
• B. To provide additional data in the body
• C. To specify the exact resource needed
• D. To set content types

Answer: (C)

Path parameters play a crucial role in REST APIs as they are used to specify the exact resource that a client is trying to access or manipulate. When designing RESTful services, resources are typically identified by URLs, and path parameters allow for dynamic portions of the URL to change based on the resource being referenced. For instance, in a URL like `/users/{userId}`, the `{userId}` is a path parameter that signifies that a specific user resource is being targeted. This enables the API to know which exact user data to fetch or modify. Using path parameters enhances the expressiveness of API calls, making them more intuitive and easier to understand as they reflect the hierarchical structure of the resources. Unlike query parameters, which are often used for filtering or searching, path parameters serve to define the specific resource in the context of the request URL. Thus, they are essential for routing requests to the appropriate handler in a RESTful application. Other options like authentication and content types may be critical aspects of a REST API, but they do not pertain to the identification of resources within the URI structure in the way that path parameters do.

Path parameters play a crucial role in REST APIs as they are used to specify the exact resource that a client is trying to access or manipulate. When designing RESTful services, resources are typically identified by URLs, and path parameters allow for dynamic portions of the URL to change based on the resource being referenced. For instance, in a URL like /users/{userId}, the {userId} is a path parameter that signifies that a specific user resource is being targeted. This enables the API to know which exact user data to fetch or modify.

Using path parameters enhances the expressiveness of API calls, making them more intuitive and easier to understand as they reflect the hierarchical structure of the resources. Unlike query parameters, which are often used for filtering or searching, path parameters serve to define the specific resource in the context of the request URL. Thus, they are essential for routing requests to the appropriate handler in a RESTful application.

Other options like authentication and content types may be critical aspects of a REST API, but they do not pertain to the identification of resources within the URI structure in the way that path parameters do.