What is HATEOAS in REST API design?
A) Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State
B) HTTP API Transfer Engine of Application Services
C) Hypertext Application Template of Engine Services
D) Hypermedia and Text Application Engine System
Answer:
A) Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State
Explanation:
HATEOAS stands for Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State. It is a constraint of REST API design that allows a client to interact with an API entirely through hyperlinks provided dynamically by the server.
In a HATEOAS-compliant API, the server includes links in the responses that guide the client on possible actions. This means the client does not need to hard-code URL paths and can discover the API’s capabilities dynamically, making the system more flexible and decoupled.