Web Programming Web APIs and REST 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which HTTP method is idempotent and used to fully replace a resource?
- POST
- PATCH
- PUT (Correct answer)
- DELETE
Correct answer: PUT
PUT is idempotent and replaces the entire target resource with the supplied data, unlike PATCH which only applies partial modifications.
Question 2: What is an API endpoint?
- The server's IP address
- A specific URL where an API can be accessed to perform a function (Correct answer)
- The last line of an API file
- A type of API authentication
Correct answer: A specific URL where an API can be accessed to perform a function
An API endpoint is a specific URL that represents a resource or action, acting as the access point where an API receives requests and sends responses.
Question 3: What HTTP status code means 'Not Found'?
- 401
- 403
- 500
- 404 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 404
HTTP 404 Not Found indicates that the server cannot find the requested resource at the given URL.
Question 4: What is the purpose of an API key?
- To encrypt all API data
- To authenticate and identify the calling application or user (Correct answer)
- To specify the API version
- To compress API responses
Correct answer: To authenticate and identify the calling application or user
An API key is a unique identifier used to authenticate and track API requests, allowing the server to identify and authorize the calling application.
Question 5: Which JavaScript API is used to make HTTP requests from the browser?
- XMLHttpRequest only
- fetch() (Correct answer)
- http.request()
- axios (built-in)
Correct answer: fetch()
The Fetch API provides a modern, Promise-based interface for making HTTP requests from the browser, replacing the older XMLHttpRequest.
Question 6: What does HTTP status code 401 indicate?
- Resource not found
- Server error
- Unauthorized — authentication required (Correct answer)
- Forbidden — access denied
Correct answer: Unauthorized — authentication required
HTTP 401 Unauthorized indicates that the request lacks valid authentication credentials and the client must authenticate to get the requested response.
Web Programming Web APIs and REST 2
Which HTTP method is idempotent and used to fully replace a resource?