Async batch processing in Rest API - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is async batch processing in the context of REST APIs?

Async batch processing allows a client to send a large set of requests to a server and receive a response later, enabling the server to process the batch without blocking the client.

beginner

Why use async batch processing instead of synchronous requests?

It improves performance by not making the client wait for all operations to finish, reduces server load spikes, and handles large data sets efficiently.

intermediate

What is a common pattern for implementing async batch processing in REST APIs?

Clients send a batch request and receive a job ID. They then poll or get notified when the batch processing is complete to retrieve results.

intermediate

How does polling work in async batch processing?

The client repeatedly asks the server if the batch job is done by sending requests with the job ID until the server responds with the results.

intermediate

Name one advantage and one disadvantage of async batch processing.

Advantage: It frees the client from waiting and improves scalability. Disadvantage: It requires extra logic for job tracking and result retrieval.

What does async batch processing help to avoid in REST APIs?

A Making the client wait for all requests to finish

B Sending requests one by one

C Using HTTP GET method

D Encrypting data

Async batch processing avoids making the client wait for all requests to finish by processing them in the background.

In async batch processing, what does the server usually return immediately after receiving a batch request?

A The final results

B A job ID to track progress

C An error message

D The full batch data

The server returns a job ID so the client can check later when the batch processing is done.

Which method is commonly used by clients to check if batch processing is complete?

A Using WebSocket only

B Sending a new batch request

C Closing the connection

D Polling the server with the job ID

Clients poll the server with the job ID to check if the batch job is finished.

What is a disadvantage of async batch processing?

A It requires extra logic for job tracking

B It uses too much bandwidth

C It cannot handle large data

D It blocks the client

Async batch processing needs extra logic to track jobs and retrieve results later.

Which scenario is best suited for async batch processing?

A Small, quick requests

B Real-time chat messages

C Large data sets needing long processing

D Simple static page requests

Async batch processing is ideal for large data sets that take time to process.

Explain how async batch processing works in a REST API from sending the request to getting the results.

Think about how the client and server communicate over time.

List the benefits and challenges of using async batch processing in REST APIs.

Consider what async batch processing helps with and what extra work it requires.