REST API Quiz - MCQ - Multiple Choice Questions

Are you familiar with REST APIs and want to test your understanding? This post contains 20 useful REST API multiple-choice questions (quiz) to self-test your knowledge of REST API development.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, this quiz will help you evaluate your understanding and identify areas for improvement. Let's dive into the REST API quiz!
Learn REST API: REST API Tutorial

1. What does the Acronym REST Stand for?

a) Representational State Transform
b) Representational State Transfer
c) Represent State Transform
d) Represent State Transfer

Answer:

b) Representational State Transfer

Explanation:

REST stands for Representational State Transfer. It is a set of architectural principles for designing networked applications.

2. What is the protocol used in REST?

a) FTP
b) HTTP
c) JMX
d) SOAP

Answer:

b) HTTP

Explanation:

REST typically uses HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) for communication between client and server.

3. What is the HTTP Status Code Related to Page Not Found?

a) 402
b) 404
c) 403
d) 401

Answer:

b) 404

Explanation:

The HTTP status code 404 is returned when the server cannot find the requested resource.

4. What is the HTTP Code Related to Internal Server Error?

a) 500
b) 501
c) 504
d) 502

Answer:

a) 500

Explanation:

The HTTP status code 500 indicates an Internal Server Error, meaning something has gone wrong on the web server, but the server cannot be more specific about what the exact problem is.

5. What does HTTP Code 200 indicate?

a) Error
b) Completed
c) Success
d) Warning

Answer:

c) Success

Explanation:

The HTTP status code 200 indicates a successful request.

6. Which HTTP method do we use to make an HTTP request to create a new resource?

a) POST
b) PUT
c) GET
d) CREATE

Answer:

a) POST

Explanation:

The POST method submits an entity to the specified resource, often causing a change in state or side effects on the server.

7. Which HTTP method do we use to make an HTTP request to update an existing resource?

a) POST
b) PUT
c) UPDATE
d) DELETE

Answer:

b) PUT

Explanation:

The PUT method replaces all current representations of the target resource with the request payload.

8. Choose the correct URI format to get a sub-resource by resource id and sub-resource id

a) /{resource}/{resource-id}/{sub-resource}/{sub-resource-id}
b) /{resource}/{sub-resource}/{sub-resource-id}
c) {sub-resource}/{sub-resource-id}/{resource}/{resource-id}
d) /{resource}/{resource-id}/{sub-resource-id}/{sub-resource}

Answer:

a) /{resource}/{resource-id}/{sub-resource}/{sub-resource-id}

Explanation:

This URI format correctly specifies the resource and sub-resource by their IDs, following a logical hierarchical structure.

9. Which is not REST Architectural Constraints?

a) Client-Server
b) Stateless
c) Cacheable
d) Service orchestration

Answer:

d) Service orchestration

Explanation:

Service orchestration is not considered one of the REST architectural constraints. REST constraints include Client-Server, Stateless, Cacheable, Layered System, Code on Demand, and Uniform Interface.

10. What does the HTTP status code 201 indicate?

a) OK
b) Created
c) Accepted
d) No Content

Answer:

b) Created

Explanation:

The HTTP status code 201 indicates that the request has been fulfilled and has led to the creation of a new resource.

11. Which HTTP methods are commonly used in REST API operations?

a) GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
b) CREATE, READ, UPDATE, DELETE
c) INSERT, SELECT, UPDATE, DELETE
d) SEND, RECEIVE, MODIFY, DELETE

Answer:

a) GET, POST, PUT, DELETE

Explanation:

The HTTP methods GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE correspond to create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) operations in REST API.

12. What is the difference between PUT and PATCH methods in REST API?

a) PUT is used for creating resources, while PATCH is used for updating resources
b) PUT updates the entire resource, while PATCH updates only specific fields of a resource
c) PUT requires authentication, while PATCH does not
d) PUT is idempotent, while PATCH is not

Answer:

b) PUT updates the entire resource, while PATCH updates only specific fields of a resource

Explanation:

PUT is used to update a resource completely through a complete replacement, while PATCH is used for making partial updates to a resource.

13. What is the role of the "Content-Type" header in a REST API request?

a) It specifies the HTTP method to be used
b) It defines the format of the request payload
c) It provides authentication credentials
d) It determines the cache control policy for the request

Answer:

b) It defines the format of the request payload

Explanation:

The "Content-Type" header in a REST API request specifies the media type of the resource or the format of the request payload.

14. What is the purpose of the "Authorization" header in a REST API request?

a) It specifies the format of the request payload
b) It provides additional metadata about the request
c) It provides authentication credentials for accessing protected resources
d) It determines the cache control policy for the request

Answer:

c) It provides authentication credentials for accessing protected resources

Explanation:

The "Authorization" header is used to pass authentication credentials for accessing protected resources in a REST API.

15. What is the difference between POST and PUT methods in REST API?

a) POST is used for creating resources, while PUT is used for updating resources
b) POST updates the entire resource, while PUT updates only specific fields of a resource
c) POST requires authentication, while PUT does not
d) POST is used for creating resources, while PUT updates only specific fields of a resource

Answer:

a) POST is used for creating resources, while PUT is used for updating resources

Explanation:

In REST API, the POST method is generally used to create new resources, whereas the PUT method is used to update or replace an existing resource entirely.

16. Which HTTP status code range indicates a client error?

a) 100-199
b) 200-299
c) 400-499
d) 500-599

Answer:

c) 400-499

Explanation:

The 400-499 status code range is designated for client errors. These codes indicate a problem with the request made by the client.

17. In REST API design, what is idempotency?

a) The ability of an API to handle multiple requests in parallel
b) The property that a method can be called multiple times without different outcomes
c) The capability of an API to update data
d) The feature of an API that allows it to delete resources

Answer:

b) The property that a method can be called multiple times without different outcomes

Explanation:

Idempotency is a key concept in REST API design. It means that an operation can be performed multiple times without changing the result beyond the initial application.

18. What is the primary purpose of the HTTP OPTIONS method in REST APIs?

a) To update a resource
b) To retrieve the communication options available on a resource or server
c) To delete a resource
d) To create a resource

Answer:

b) To retrieve the communication options available on a resource or server

Explanation:

The HTTP OPTIONS method is used in REST APIs to describe the communication options for the target resource, allowing clients to determine a server's capabilities.

19. Which of the following best describes HATEOAS in the context of REST APIs?

a) A specific set of rules for designing API endpoints
b) A protocol similar to HTTP used exclusively in REST APIs
c) A constraint of REST application architecture that keeps the client and server loosely coupled
d) An architectural style that enables easy navigation between resources through hyperlinks

Answer:

d) An architectural style that enables easy navigation between resources through hyperlinks

Explanation:

HATEOAS (Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State) is a constraint of the REST application architecture that allows clients to dynamically navigate between resources through hyperlinks.

20. What is the function of the "Accept" header in an HTTP reuest in REST APIs?

a) Specifies the MIME type that the server can send back
b) Specifies the MIME type of the reuest body
c) Provides the version of the HTTP protocol used
d) Specifies the types of responses the client can understand

Answer:

d) Specifies the types of responses the client can understand

Explanation:

The "Accept" header in an HTTP request specifies the media types that the client is willing to receive from the server, guiding the server on how to format the response data.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the REST API quiz test! We hope it challenged your knowledge and provided valuable insights into REST API concepts. Understanding the principles of REST, HTTP methods, status codes, and headers is crucial for building robust and efficient APIs. 


Keep learning, keep practicing, and become an expert in building scalable and reliable RESTful services!

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