Using REST

REST defines a set of operations defined from the HTTP protocol; so, how can you interact with it? Using a browser can be a common way to send HTTP requests to a server; you do it almost every day when you browse the internet, and you do it with the GeoServer web interface! However, using a browser is not a simple way to automate tasks; it requires human interaction. We need something that enables us to build small programs.

A lot of different tools exist that enable you to interact with REST. You can use programming languages such as Java or PHP, or script languages such as PowerShell in Windows or any Linux shell. In this chapter, we will see examples in a programming language, Python, and with a command-line utility, cURL. Python is a programming language that leverages on simplicity and code readability, and, hence, it is very easy to create small programs with it. cURL is a library and a command-line tool that can be easily incorporated in simple shell scripts. Both of these...