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Build a REST API with PHP

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Getting Started with Our API

3:49 with Alena Holligan

In this course, we’re going to take on the task of building a REST API in PHP. Even if you've never used an API before, the good news is that all applications function in the same way. They take in a request and return a response. When building a web application, that response is returned in an HTML format. When building a REST API, that response is most often returned in a JSON format, although there are other formats available, such as XML.

Before continuing this course, you should be familiar with the Basics of a REST API and using Postman. Additionally, we'll be using the Slim microframework to help us manage our code.

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    [MUSIC] 0:00
    Hello and welcome, I'm Alena, and I'm a developer. 0:09
    In this course, we're going to take on the task of building a REST API in PHP. 0:12
    Even if you've never used an API before, 0:18
    the good news is that all applications function in the same way. 0:22
    They take in a request and return a response. 0:27
    When building a web application, that response is returned in an HTML format. 0:30
    When building a REST API, that response is most often returned in a JSON format, 0:36
    although there are other formats available, such as XML. 0:43
    As for the request, when working with REST, 0:48
    the representational state transfer architecture, 0:52
    the big thing to remember is statelessness. 0:56
    The server does not store any state about the client session on the server side. 1:00
    Each request from the client to the server must contain all 1:07
    the information necessary to understand the request. 1:12
    This application state is not the same as the resource state. 1:17
    Application state is used to identify incoming client requests, 1:22
    their previous interaction details, and current context information. 1:28
    Resource state is the current state of a resource on a server at any point of time. 1:35
    And it has nothing to do with the interaction between the client and 1:42
    the server. 1:48
    It is what you get as a response from the server when requesting a resource. 1:49
    Before continuing this course, 1:55
    you should be familiar with the basics of a REST API and using Postman. 1:58
    Additionally, we'll be using the slim micro framework to 2:04
    help us manage our code. 2:08
    If you aren't sure about any of the items I just mentioned, make sure you 2:10
    check the notes associated with this video for a list of prerequisites. 2:15
    As always, there are video controls to slow me way down and 2:20
    to speed me up if I start to get boring. 2:26
    The ability to build a REST API is becoming more and 2:30
    more a required skill that you absolutely need to have in your tool belt. 2:34
    Client-side frameworks are taking off, and 2:40
    they're all expecting a back end server to do the heavy lifting. 2:43
    They almost all follow REST out of the box. 2:48
    Mobile applications have exploded, and 2:51
    just about every company has or wants a mobile app these days. 2:55
    These apps need to talk with existing infrastructure and 2:59
    they usually do it using REST. 3:04
    So what better way to get started exploring building a REST API 3:06
    than using a very straightforward approach to the problem? 3:10
    We're going to build a REST API that allows you to submit reviews of 3:15
    online courses. 3:19
    Obviously, when reviewing Treehouse courses, 3:21
    these are going to be a five out of a possible five. 3:24
    But our API is made to accept courses from anywhere. 3:27
    The client of the API can request a list of courses that have reviews, 3:31
    as well as submit a new course and review. 3:36
    This aggregating of information is a common use 3:40
    case of a software as a service or SaaS. 3:44
    Are you ready to get started? 3:47

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