Basics of HTTP
Data Transmission in Requests
Tools for Working with HTTP
HTTP API
API skills for development, testing, and integration to boost chances of moving into backend development
Egor Samoylin
Hexlet graduate
Learning programme
1 month
6 theory hours
20 practice hours
What is important to know in advance
To take the course, basic command line skills are sufficient
If you're not familiar with programming yet, don't worry!
We have introductory courses, to help you learn the basics and prepare for training. We explain everything from the ground up - in a clear and easy to understand way
Structure of HTTP requests
Main request components: method, URL, headers, body, differences between HTTP 1.0 and 1.1, data format and encoding in requests
HTTP Methods
Overview of main methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, idempotent and safe methods, usage examples for each
HTTP Request Body
Structure and format of request and response bodies, data formats: JSON, XML, form data, how to properly construct the request body
Submitting Data via Forms
How data from forms is sent in HTTP requests, differences between GET and POST methods when submitting forms, examples of working with HTML forms
Cookies and Sessions
How cookies work in HTTP, using cookies for session management, limitations of the stateless HTTP protocol
Redirection
Working with redirects, types of redirects, following redirects
What is an HTTP API
Definition and purpose of HTTP APIs, tasks solved using APIs, examples of real-world API usage
Structure of an HTTP API
Endpoints and their purposes, request and response formats, pagination, working with nested resources
CRUD Operations
Core operations: create, read, update, delete, idempotency and its importance, examples of CRUD implementation via API
Working with Tools and Documenting APIs
Using Curl to make requests, introduction to Postman and its features, HTTPie as a tool for API interaction, OpenAPI standard for describing API structure
API Types
Differences between RPC and REST APIs, principles of RESTful architecture, examples of various API types
Data Formats
Working with JSON and its structure, alternative formats: XML, YAML, how to properly serialize and deserialize data
Secure Connections
Importance of using HTTPS for APIs, how encryption protects data, examples of setting up secure connections
Basic Authentication
How basic authentication is implemented, pros and cons of basic auth
Authentication with Bearer Token
How Bearer token authentication works, token format
Authentication with API Key
How API key authentication is implemented, differences from Bearer token authentication
Authorization with JWT Token
Difference between authentication and authorization, principles of JWT tokens, JWT token structure
Working with Secured APIs
How to work with secured APIs using API request tools
How learning is organised
Simple, clear and always at hand
You learn the theory in a convenient text format - easy to read even from your phone. Live examples help you immediately understand how everything works in practice. The material is organised in such a way that you move step by step from simple to complex without missing important details
Check and consolidate knowledge
After each topic, you go through quizzes to make sure you understand everything. Questions of varying levels of difficulty will give you the opportunity to both test your knowledge base and practise your application of knowledge
Learn from real-life challenges
We've created a convenient virtual environment where you solve problems right in your browser. You have a code editor, a console and automatic tests that instantly show results
AI mentor in your studies
Our AI-powered Learning Assistant is like a mentor that's always on hand. It understands where you are in the course, what you need to do, and what your code looks like. If something goes wrong, you get clear and helpful hints right away