restlike

RESTlike is a term for APIs that adopt many ideas from the REST architectural style but do not fully conform to its constraints. It signals a resource-oriented design and standard HTTP semantics while allowing practical deviations.

REST, as defined by Roy Fielding, emphasizes a uniform interface, statelessness, cacheability, layered systems, and hypermedia controls (HATEOAS). RESTlike APIs implement some of these ideas but relax others, often for ease of implementation or compatibility with existing systems.

Typical RESTlike patterns include resource-based URLs, use of HTTP methods to operate on resources (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE), and representations in JSON or XML. They may omit hypermedia controls, use action-oriented endpoints (such as /users/{id}/activate), or maintain server-side state for certain workflows.

Differences from RESTful designs include lack of HATEOAS, non-uniform interfaces, or non-standard semantics. Because of these deviations, RESTlike APIs may be easier to build but less self-descriptive, harder to contract or cache optimally, and less amenable to automated client generation.

Use cases and considerations: RESTlike is common when teams want REST-like simplicity without full constraint discipline, or when integrating with legacy systems. Clear documentation of operations, responses, and error handling helps clients adapt to deviations.

Criticism and context: The term is informal and can blur distinctions with RPC-style APIs. Because there is no universal standard, 'RESTlike' means different things in different projects.