REST uses HTTP methods on resources:
Methods:
- GET /users: List users
- GET /users/123: Get specific user
- POST /users: Create user
- PUT /users/123: Replace user
- PATCH /users/123: Update user partially
- DELETE /users/123: Delete user
Principles:
- Stateless: Each request contains all needed info
- Resource-based URLs (nouns, not verbs)
- Use HTTP status codes correctly
- Support filtering, pagination, sorting
REST is the default choice for most APIs. Simple, cacheable, widely understood.