REST API
A REST API (Representational State Transfer) is an interface that uses HTTP requests to access and manipulate data. It's the standard way to build web APIs.
Understanding the Concept
REST is the workhorse of web APIs. You make HTTP requests (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to URLs that represent resources. The server returns data, usually as JSON.
For market data, REST is great for: historical data, reference data, account information, and anything that doesn't need real-time updates. You request data, you get data. Simple.
The downside? Latency. Each request takes a round trip. For real-time price feeds, REST means constant polling and wasted bandwidth. That's where WebSockets come in.
Real-World Example
To get Bitcoin's current price via REST: GET /api/v1/ticker/bitcoin. The server responds with JSON containing price, volume, and timestamp. For historical data: GET /api/v1/ohlcv/bitcoin?interval=1h&limit=100.
How PRISM Handles This
PRISM's REST API follows standard conventions with clear, predictable URLs. All endpoints return JSON with consistent formatting. We support query parameters for filtering, pagination, and field selection. Full OpenAPI spec available.
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