HATEOAS

Definitions

1. Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State — a REST constraint where API responses include hyperlinks to related actions and resources, allowing clients to navigate the API dynamically. Instead of hardcoding URLs, clients follow links. Theoretically elegant but rarely implemented in practice — most REST APIs are 'REST-ish.'

   In plain English: An API design where responses include links to what you can do next, like clickable links on a web page.

   Example: "The order response includes _links: {cancel: "/orders/123/cancel", receipt: "/orders/123/receipt"} — that's HATEOAS in action."

Related Terms

• Footgun
• idempotency
• Architecture
• Consume
• Contract
• Swagger
• API Versioning
• Idempotent Request