How Rest APIs Changed Everything

Perplexity Query

Response from sonar-pro:

• Pre-REST Era: Before REST, most API integrations used SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), which was complex, required XML, and was difficult to debug and scale[1][3].
• 2000: REST Introduced: Roy Fielding outlined REST in his doctoral dissertation, introducing a stateless, resource-oriented architecture that used standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to operate on data. REST emphasized simplicity, scalability, and easy web infrastructure compatibility[1][3].
• Early 2000s Adoption: eBay launched one of the first major REST APIs in 2002, quickly followed by Amazon. This allowed external sites to connect seamlessly, fueling e-commerce expansion. Flickr’s 2004 API made rich web integrations easy, and platforms like Facebook and Twitter moved to RESTful patterns by 2006 to meet demand and reduce unofficial “Frankenstein” APIs cobbled together by web scrapers[1].
• 2010s to Present: REST APIs have become the default standard, widely embraced across the tech industry. Tools like Postman have further simplified their design, testing, and deployment, making API-first development a baseline expectation[1].

• REST APIs have driven the interoperability and integration of web services, enabling disparate systems to communicate reliably and efficiently. This underpins everything from single sign-on systems to payment gateways to social media sharing widgets[2].
• Their predictable behavior, uniform interface, and standards-based approach reduce the learning curve for developers and allow for smoother future integrations and migrations as technologies evolve[2][3][4].
• RESTful patterns have enabled the explosion of SaaS (Software as a Service), cloud computing, mobile app ecosystems, and the API economy, empowering businesses to rapidly extend their platforms and reach new users[1][5].

• Over 90% of public APIs use the REST architectural style; REST continues to dominate, despite the rise of alternatives like GraphQL and gRPC[1][4].
• The API economy is projected to exceed $7.2 trillion in annual global economic impact by 2025, with RESTful APIs at its core (industry estimates)[1].
• The average enterprise manages over 200 APIs, and leading tech firms manage and expose thousands of REST endpoints[2].
• Postman, a leading API development platform, reported over 30 million users and 100 million APIs (most of them REST-based) in its global workspace by 2024[1].
• REST APIs are integral to industries like finance (open banking APIs), healthcare (FHIR standards), e-commerce, IoT, and more[4].

• Simplicity: Utilizes common web protocols, making it easy to build, use, and debug[4].
• Scalability: Stateless interactions support massive scaling and parallel processing[4].
• Flexibility: Supports a variety of data formats (JSON, XML, plain text)[4].
• Security: Integrates with modern authentication and encryption methods[4].
• Platform Independence: Works across languages, devices, and environments, fostering ubiquitous connectivity[4].