In a REST API, how should the server handle the If-Modified-Since header to effectively minimize data transfer?

hard📝 Application Q8 of 15

Rest API - Caching Strategies

In a REST API, how should the server handle the If-Modified-Since header to effectively minimize data transfer?

AIgnore the <code>If-Modified-Since</code> header and respond with <code>404 Not Found</code>

BAlways respond with <code>200 OK</code> and full resource data regardless of the header

Respond with <code>304 Not Modified</code> if the resource has not changed since the date in <code>If-Modified-Since</code>

DSend the resource only if the <code>If-Modified-Since</code> date is in the future

Step-by-Step Solution

Solution:

Step 1: Understand the purpose of If-Modified-Since
This header allows the client to ask the server if the resource has changed since a specific date.
Step 2: Server response behavior
If the resource has not been modified since the date provided, the server should respond with 304 Not Modified to avoid sending the full resource again.
Final Answer:
Respond with 304 Not Modified if resource unchanged -> Option C
Quick Check:
Does the server avoid sending full data when unchanged? [OK]

Quick Trick: Use 304 status to save bandwidth when resource unchanged [OK]

Common Mistakes:

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