Restlet in Action

Appendix C. Introducing the REST architecture style

This appendix will give you a minimal REST background that will help you understand the main concepts at the core of the Restlet Framework. Understanding REST is key to using the Restlet Framework because it’s the official architecture style of the web and because the Restlet API is a direct mapping of REST and HTTP concepts to Java. We’ll also discuss the relationship between REST and HTTP, comparing it with the historical RPC-like alternatives such as SOAP.

C.1. Supporting all web features with REST

Billions of people use the web in one form or another. Millions of developers create web applications. Yet only a small number of them have heard about REST, which defines the architectural ...