HTTP Requests

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is used to make requests and receive responses over the internet. HTTP helps in transferring data from one point to another over a network.

Such requests are most common when you interact with an external server, or APIs, to receive data or submit data to them. Essentially, no real-world applications are possible without making HTTP requests The most common way of organizing APIs is to use the constraints set by REST. REST (REpresentational State Transfer) is an architectural type that has prescribed standards for various systems to communicate with one another. These APIs are characterized by the separation of concerns between client and server (for example, if we make a Ruby program that interacts with an API, our program with the client and API to which the request is made will be the server).

For now, we will not go into detail about REST, but we will learn how to use it and how easy it makes it to interact with backend APIs...