How to build a RESTful API?
To build a RESTful API in PHP, you can use a framework such as Laravel or CodeIgniter, or you can build the API from scratch using core PHP. Here are the general steps for building a RESTful API using core PHP:
Set up your development environment by installing a web server (such as Apache) and a database (such as MySQL) on your machine.
Create a new PHP project and set up routing to handle incoming requests to your API. This can be done using an .htaccess file or by using a routing library such as AltoRouter.
Define your API endpoints and the HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) that they will support. Each endpoint should correspond to a specific resource or set of resources in your application.
Use PHP's built-in functions to handle incoming requests and send appropriate responses. For example, use $_GET to access query parameters, $_POST to access form data, and the header() function to set response headers.
Implement the business logic of your API by connecting to your database and performing CRUD operations on the data.
Use proper HTTP response codes and include relevant information in the response body to indicate the success or failure of an API request.
Test your API using a tool such as Postman to ensure that it is functioning as expected.
Note: This is a high-level overview of building a RESTful API in PHP. There are many details and best practices to consider when building a production-ready API, such as security, error handling, and documentation.