Request headers (Content-Type, Accept) in Rest API - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

What is the Content-Type header value sent in this HTTP request?

Consider this HTTP POST request snippet:

POST /api/data HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json

{"name": "Alice", "age": 30}

What is the value of the Content-Type header?

A application/json

B text/html

C application/xml

D multipart/form-data

💡 Hint

The Content-Type header tells the server what format the request body is in.

The Content-Type header is set to application/json because the request body contains JSON data.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

What response format does the client expect based on the Accept header?

Given this HTTP GET request header:

GET /api/users HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Accept: application/xml

What format does the client expect the server to respond with?

A application/json

B text/plain

C application/xml

D text/html

💡 Hint

The Accept header tells the server what content types the client can handle.

The Accept header is application/xml, so the client expects XML format in the response.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does this POST request fail to send JSON data correctly?

Look at this HTTP POST request:

POST /submit HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Accept: application/json

{"username": "bob", "score": 42}

Why might the server reject this request?

A Host header is missing

B Accept header is wrong, should be text/html

C Request body is not valid JSON

D Missing Content-Type header, so server doesn't know the body format

💡 Hint

Check if the server knows what format the body is in.

The request lacks a Content-Type header, so the server cannot interpret the JSON body correctly and may reject it.

🧠 Conceptual

advanced

What happens if the Accept header is set to '*/*'?

In an HTTP request, the client sets the header Accept: */*. What does this mean?

A The client accepts any content type in the response

B The client only accepts plain text responses

C The client rejects all responses

D The client only accepts JSON responses

💡 Hint

Think about what the wildcard '*' means in this context.

The Accept header value '*/*' means the client can accept any content type the server sends back.

❓ Predict Output

expert

What is the output of this Python code simulating headers?

Consider this Python code that simulates checking headers:

headers = {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "Accept": "application/xml"
}

if headers.get("Content-Type") == "application/json" and headers.get("Accept") == "application/xml":
    result = "Send JSON, expect XML"
else:
    result = "Headers mismatch"

print(result)

What will be printed?

Rest API

headers = {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "Accept": "application/xml"
}

if headers.get("Content-Type") == "application/json" and headers.get("Accept") == "application/xml":
    result = "Send JSON, expect XML"
else:
    result = "Headers mismatch"

print(result)

A Headers mismatch

B Send JSON, expect XML

C KeyError

D None

💡 Hint

Check the dictionary keys and values carefully.

Both headers match the conditions, so the code prints 'Send JSON, expect XML'.