If you’ve spent any time building WordPress sites over the past few years, chances are you’ve heard reference made to the new REST API. However, unless you’re an experienced developer, you may not have any idea what the WordPress REST API actually is.
While the technical details are a bit complex, the basic concepts behind this feature are easy enough to grasp. The new API helps expand what WordPress as a platform can do. What’s more, the REST API makes it simpler than ever for developers to connect WordPress with other sites and applications.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through all the basics you need to know. We’ll explain what APIs are in general, and what REST APIs (and the WordPress-specific version) are in particular. Then, we’ll talk about how to start using the REST API yourself. Let’s jump right in!
📚 Table of contents:
- An introduction to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
- The fundamental rules of a REST (Representational State Transfer) API
- The WordPress REST API
- The anatomy of a WordPress REST API request
- How to start using the WordPress REST API
- How to disable the REST API in WordPress
- One more approach at using the WordPress REST API
- Conclusion
An introduction to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
Before we delve into the WordPress REST API specifically, let’s back up a little. To understand this concept, it’s important to first have a basic idea of what APIs are in general.
