Introducing Create REST APIs with Spring and Java

Until now, our Java curriculum covered the language’s basic principles and fundamentals, syntax, and applications in mobile development, with courses like Learn Java and Build Basic Android Apps with Java. But all that’s changed with the release of our new Skill Path: Create REST APIs with Spring and Java.

As the name implies, the new Skill Path will teach you how to build web APIs with Java and the Spring framework — which was ranked as one of the most popular Java frameworks by sources like HackerRank and Snyk. Along with building APIs, you’ll also learn more about databases, web servers, command-line tools, and more.

Who is the new Skill Path right for?

Create REST APIs with Spring and Java is perfect for learners who want to build their own web APIs — or even just upskill as a Java developer and learn more about the language’s uses in web development.

What is an API?

Essentially, an API (Application Program Interface) is a type of software that facilitates communication between two applications — allowing access to and the transferral of certain types of data. Phil Sturgeon, consultant at WeWork and author of Build APIs You Don’t Hate, explains some of the benefits of building your own APIs:

“Building your own can be a huge benefit to your own company for building your own applications, but it can also be a great source of primary or secondary income. As you open up to other companies and maybe even the general public, you can start to see integrations you’d have never even considered. Who knows, it might even evolve your business, and give you ideas for new products and features.”

What is a REST API?

As we explain in another article, REST (Representational State Transfer) is “an architectural style for providing standards between computer systems on the web, making it easier for systems to communicate with each other.” So, a REST API is an API that conforms to REST standards, allowing for a wide range of benefits, such as:

Improving flexibility of the interface across platforms
Improving scalability by simplifying the server components
Allowing each component to evolve independently

What will I learn from the new course?

Along with building your own APIs, you’ll also:

Deepen your understanding of how the internet works, including HTTP, REST, CRUD, APIs, and the client-server relationship
Work with Java at an intermediate level, including object-oriented programming.
Learn how to use Spring Boot, Spring Initializr, and the annotation-based approach to building Spring applications.
Learn how to attach a database to a web server using Spring Data (specifically JPA and H2 databases).

Recap

Our new Skill Path, Create REST APIs with Spring and Java, will teach you how to use Java and its associated Spring framework to build your own APIs while deepening your understanding of web development. This Skill Path is great for anyone looking to upskill as a Java developer or learn more about the programming language’s applications in web development.