Web API Interview Questions and Answers

Ques 16. What is the role of middleware in the context of Web API development?

Middleware refers to software components that can be inserted into the request-response processing pipeline to perform various functions such as authentication, logging, and input validation. It allows developers to customize the behavior of the application.

Ques 17. Explain the concept of Hypermedia in the context of RESTful Web APIs.

Hypermedia refers to the inclusion of hyperlinks in a response, allowing clients to discover and navigate related resources. It is a key aspect of HATEOAS and enhances the flexibility and discoverability of RESTful APIs.

Ques 18. What is the purpose of the 'OPTIONS' HTTP request method?

The 'OPTIONS' method is used to describe the communication options for the target resource. It is often used to support preflight requests in CORS and to provide information about the available methods for a resource.

Example:

OPTIONS /users

Ques 19. Explain the concept of versioning in Web APIs and mention different approaches.

Versioning is the practice of managing changes to an API over time. Different approaches include URI versioning (e.g., /v1/users), query parameter versioning (e.g., /users?v=1), header versioning, and content negotiation.

Ques 20. What is the purpose of the '406 Not Acceptable' HTTP status code?

The '406 Not Acceptable' status code is returned when the server cannot produce a response matching the list of acceptable values defined in the 'Accept' header of the request.