Avoiding verbs in URLs in Rest API - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to create a REST API endpoint URL that avoids verbs.

Rest API

GET /api/[1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AupdateUser

BgetUsers

CfetchData

Dusers

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using verbs like 'getUsers' or 'updateUser' in the URL.

In REST APIs, URLs should use nouns to represent resources, not verbs. 'users' is a noun representing the resource.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the URL to correctly represent a resource collection without verbs.

Rest API

POST /api/[1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AaddNewUser

BsubmitUser

Cusers

DcreateUser

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Including verbs such as 'createUser' in the URL.

POST requests to a resource collection URL like 'users' create new resources. The URL should not contain verbs.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the URL by replacing the verb with a noun.

Rest API

DELETE /api/[1]/123

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AdeleteUser

Busers

CremoveUser

Ddelete

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using verbs like 'deleteUser' in the URL path.

The URL should use the resource name 'users' instead of verbs like 'deleteUser'. The HTTP method DELETE indicates the action.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a RESTful URL that avoids verbs and correctly identifies a single resource.

Rest API

PUT /api/[1]/[2]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Ausers

B123

CupdateUser

Dmodify

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Putting verbs like 'updateUser' in the URL instead of resource names.

The URL uses 'users' as the resource and '123' as the resource ID. The PUT method indicates updating the resource, so no verbs are needed in the URL.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a RESTful URL that avoids verbs and correctly accesses a sub-resource.

Rest API

GET /api/[1]/[2]/[3]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Ausers

B123

Corders

DgetOrders

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Including verbs like 'getOrders' in the URL.

The URL accesses the 'orders' sub-resource of the user with ID '123'. All parts are nouns representing resources. The HTTP GET method specifies the action.

Practice

1. Which of the following URLs follows the best practice of avoiding verbs in REST API design?

easy

A. /createUser

B. /getUser/123

C. /deleteUser/123

D. /users/123

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand URL naming conventions

   REST APIs should use nouns to represent resources, not verbs. URLs like /users/123 represent a user resource with ID 123.

2. Step 2: Identify verbs in URLs

   URLs like /getUser/123, /createUser, and /deleteUser/123 contain verbs (get, create, delete), which is against best practice.

3. Final Answer:

   /users/123 -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Use nouns in URLs = /users/123 [OK]

Hint: Use nouns for URLs, verbs go in HTTP methods [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Including verbs like 'get' or 'delete' in the URL
• Using action words instead of resource names
• Confusing HTTP methods with URL paths

2. Which HTTP method should be used with the URL /orders/456 to update an existing order?

easy

A. PUT

B. POST

C. DELETE

D. GET

Solution

1. Step 1: Match HTTP methods to actions

   GET retrieves data, POST creates new data, PUT updates existing data, DELETE removes data.

2. Step 2: Identify update action

   To update an existing order at /orders/456, the correct HTTP method is PUT.

3. Final Answer:

   PUT -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Update = PUT [OK]

Hint: PUT updates, POST creates, GET reads, DELETE removes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using POST to update instead of create
• Using GET to modify data
• Confusing PUT and DELETE methods

3. Given the REST API call: DELETE /products/789, what is the expected action?

medium

A. Delete product with ID 789

B. Create a new product with ID 789

C. Retrieve product with ID 789

D. Update product with ID 789

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand HTTP DELETE method

   DELETE is used to remove a resource identified by the URL.

2. Step 2: Apply to given URL

   The URL /products/789 identifies product 789, so DELETE removes it.

3. Final Answer:

   Delete product with ID 789 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   DELETE removes resource = Delete product with ID 789 [OK]

Hint: DELETE method removes resource at URL [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking DELETE retrieves data
• Confusing DELETE with POST or PUT
• Assuming URL contains action verbs

4. Identify the error in this REST API design: POST /updateUser/123

medium

A. User ID should not be in the URL

B. HTTP method POST cannot be used with user resources

C. URL contains a verb 'update', which should be avoided

D. URL should end with a question mark

Solution

1. Step 1: Check URL naming conventions

   URLs should use nouns to represent resources, not verbs like 'update'. The verb should be expressed by the HTTP method.

2. Step 2: Analyze the given URL

   The URL /updateUser/123 contains the verb 'update', which violates REST best practices.

3. Final Answer:

   URL contains a verb 'update', which should be avoided -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Verbs in URL = URL contains a verb 'update', which should be avoided [OK]

Hint: Avoid verbs in URLs; use HTTP methods for actions [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Putting verbs like 'update' in URLs
• Misusing HTTP methods
• Ignoring resource identification in URLs

5. You want to design a REST API to manage blog posts. Which URL and HTTP method combination correctly avoids verbs in the URL and uses HTTP methods properly to delete a post with ID 321?

hard

A. DELETE /deletePost/321

B. DELETE /posts/321

C. POST /posts/321/delete

D. GET /posts/delete/321

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct URL structure

   The URL should use a noun representing the resource, here /posts/321, without verbs like 'delete'.

2. Step 2: Match HTTP method to action

   To delete a resource, use the DELETE method with the resource URL.

3. Final Answer:

   DELETE /posts/321 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Delete resource = DELETE + noun URL [OK]

Hint: Use DELETE method with noun URL to remove resource [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Including verbs like 'delete' in the URL
• Using GET or POST for delete actions
• Placing action words after resource ID