HTTP status codes in the range _____ indicate successful API requests.
- 200-299
- 300-399
- 400-499
- 500-599
HTTP status codes in the range "200-299" indicate successful API requests. These codes signify that the request was received, understood, and successfully processed.
Which API architectural style allows clients to request exactly the data they need?
- GraphQL
- REST
- SOAP
- XML-RPC
GraphQL is an API architectural style that allows clients to request precisely the data they need. With GraphQL, clients can specify the structure of the response they want, avoiding over-fetching or under-fetching of data. This flexibility in data retrieval makes GraphQL a powerful choice for applications with varying data requirements.
Implementing rate limiting and throttling is crucial for API _____, ensuring that the system remains stable and responsive.
- authorization
- performance
- scalability
- security
Implementing rate limiting and throttling is crucial for API scalability, ensuring that the system remains stable and responsive. When an API scales to handle more requests, rate limiting and throttling help prevent overloads and maintain a consistent user experience. It ensures that resources are allocated efficiently.
Imagine you are tasked with ensuring that an e-commerce platform's checkout process works seamlessly. How would you approach API testing in this scenario?
- Perform only unit testing on individual API endpoints.
- Create end-to-end tests that simulate the entire checkout process.
- Test each API endpoint in isolation without considering integration.
- Skip API testing and focus on UI testing exclusively.
In this scenario, the most effective approach is option B. API testing for an e-commerce checkout process should involve creating end-to-end tests that simulate the entire checkout process. This ensures that all components, including API interactions, work seamlessly together. Option A focuses only on individual endpoints, which might not cover the entire user journey. Option C lacks integration testing, and option D is not recommended as it ignores API testing entirely.
How does compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA affect the design of APIs?
- APIs must ensure user anonymity.
- APIs should be faster and more accessible.
- APIs should follow data protection and privacy standards.
- It doesn't affect API design.
Compliance with regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) or HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) significantly affects API design. APIs must adhere to data protection and privacy standards to ensure the security and privacy of sensitive user data. This may involve encryption, access controls, and auditing to meet regulatory requirements.
Consider a scenario where a mobile app needs to interact with a server to perform CRUD operations. How would you utilize different HTTP methods in your Web API to facilitate this interaction?
- Use GET for all CRUD operations for simplicity and consistency.
- Use GET for reading data, POST for creating, PUT for updating, and DELETE for deleting.
- Use POST for all CRUD operations to simplify the API.
- Use only GET and POST methods, as they are the most common.
To facilitate CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete) in a Web API, you'd typically use different HTTP methods. GET is used for reading data, POST for creating new resources, PUT for updating existing resources, and DELETE for removal. This approach aligns with the principles of RESTful APIs and makes the API intuitive for developers.
Using HTTPS for transmitting API keys ensures that the keys are _____ during transit.
- exposed
- hashed
- secured
- verified
Using HTTPS for transmitting API keys ensures that the keys are secured during transit. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) encrypts the communication between the client and server, preventing unauthorized interception and ensuring the confidentiality of API keys.
What role does introspection play in GraphQL APIs?
- It assists in handling data validation and input validation in GraphQL APIs.
- It offers security features for authentication and authorization within GraphQL.
- It provides metadata about the API's schema and allows clients to discover the available types, queries, and mutations.
- It serves as a way to cache frequently used queries and mutations for performance optimization.
Introspection is a critical feature in GraphQL APIs, as it provides metadata about the API's schema, allowing clients to discover and explore the available types, queries, and mutations. This enables better tooling and client-side development, making GraphQL more self-documenting.
How does rate limiting contribute to API scalability?
- By ensuring equal access for all users
- By increasing server load capacity
- By limiting the number of API users
- By reducing server traffic
Rate limiting helps API scalability by reducing the server traffic and ensuring that no single user or application overwhelms the server with excessive requests. It provides equal access to all users, preventing overloads, and allowing the API to serve a larger user base while maintaining a high-quality experience.
What is the purpose of WSDL in a SOAP API?
- WSDL defines the transport protocol for SOAP requests.
- WSDL describes the operations and messages supported by a SOAP service.
- WSDL generates random data for SOAP responses.
- WSDL specifies the data format used in SOAP messages.
The purpose of WSDL (Web Services Description Language) in a SOAP API is to describe the operations, input and output messages, and the protocols used by a web service. It acts as a contract that clients can use to understand how to interact with the SOAP service, making it a critical component for SOAP-based web services.