REST API course for beginners
REST API course from API101 helps you understand requests, read JSON responses, and work with authentication through free, interactive lessons. Start learning in your browser today, with no signup, payment, or coding experience required.
Try an API request
This GET request asks for a user’s profile. Click “Send request” to see the JSON response with their name, email, and role. You’ll find interactive exercises like this throughout the course.
Learn the skills you need to use REST APIs
Go from unfamiliar terminology to understanding what an API request does and how to interpret its response. Each topic connects a technical concept to a practical task:
- JSON: read objects, arrays, and values to find the information returned by an endpoint.
- HTTP requests: understand methods, URLs, headers, parameters, and request bodies.
- REST conventions: learn how resources are organized and when GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE are used.
- Responses and authentication: interpret status codes and understand API keys, bearer tokens, and OAuth.
- Documentation: find an endpoint, identify its requirements, and understand its example response.
Practice as you learn
API101 combines short explanations with interactive API calls and chapter quizzes. Try a request, inspect the result, and check your understanding before moving on. The built-in exercises work in your browser, so you can begin without installing a separate tool.
Follow the course at your own pace or revisit a specific topic when you need it. Start with REST conventions, explore API key authentication, or practice reading API documentation.
For example, learn to distinguish a missing resource from a rejected request, locate the data you need inside a JSON response, and identify which authentication details an endpoint expects. Use these skills to evaluate integrations and discuss unexpected results with developers.
Designed for beginners and product teams
This training suits product managers discussing integrations, business analysts reviewing requirements, and students or junior developers learning API fundamentals. You’ll build the vocabulary to ask clearer questions and follow technical conversations with your team.
The focus is understanding and using APIs. You do not need to write application code to follow along. Building and deploying a production backend is outside the scope of this introductory course.
Free access, from the first lesson onward
All seven chapters are free, including interactive exercises and quizzes. The wider course also covers webhooks and practical integration questions. Browse the full API course to see the curriculum, or take the API skills assessment if you already know the basics.
Who created this training?
Created by Raphaëlle, a Product Manager with 15 years of experience, and Mathieu, a teacher and former developer. Together, they make technical concepts accessible. Every lesson was tested on real people before going live.
Start your REST API course today
Open the first lesson and learn to read the data APIs exchange. No signup or payment required.
Start free REST API course