architectureintermediate

REST API

The standard way apps send and receive data over the internet.

What is REST API?

REST is a set of conventions for building APIs. GET requests fetch data, POST creates it, PUT updates it, DELETE removes it. When your frontend talks to your backend — it's usually via a REST API.

Every service vibe coders use has a REST API: Stripe API for payments, Supabase API for database queries, OpenAI API for AI responses. Understanding GET and POST covers 90% of what you need.

In Vibe Coding

Every vibe coded app uses REST APIs constantly. Lovable connecting to Supabase, Cursor calling OpenAI, your app sending emails through Resend — all REST API calls. Understanding GET (fetch data) and POST (send data) covers 90% of what you need.

Example

For example: Your app's product page sends a GET request to /api/products/123 to fetch the product details. When a user adds it to their cart, the app sends a POST request to /api/cart with the product ID.

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