Business analysis glossary
REST API
What it is
A REST API is a common style of web API where each kind of thing, such as customers or orders, has an address (URL) and standard actions like GET, POST, PUT and DELETE are used to read or change it. Responses are usually JSON. Each request is independent, which means the server does not remember earlier calls, so every request carries what the server needs to know.
Why it matters
Because REST follows familiar conventions, analysts and developers can discuss requirements with a shared vocabulary, and testers can try endpoints using simple tools. Most public and internal web services today follow this style, so learning it once helps with many different systems.
Example
The Brightpath Logistics tracking service offers GET /parcels/7781 to read a parcel's status and POST /parcels to register a new one. Both use JSON and return standard response codes. An analyst can test those calls in a browser or a simple tool, which helps check that the requirement matches how the API really behaves.