REST API

Learn programmatic access with the GitHub REST API.

What is the GitHub REST API?

The GitHub REST API lets you interact with repositories, users, issues, and other GitHub resources through HTTP requests. You can perform operations programmatically instead of doing them manually in a browser.

GET https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World

API responses are usually in JSON format. Each resource has a specific endpoint.

Endpoints and HTTP responses

An endpoint is a URL path used to access a specific resource through an API. For example, the /repos/{owner}/{repo} path is used for repository information.

GET /repos/octocat/Hello-World

200 OK
{
  "name": "Hello-World",
  "private": false
}

HTTP status codes indicate the result of a request. 200 means success, 404 means the resource was not found, and 401 can indicate an authentication problem.

Exercise Create a GitHub API request

Create a GET request to retrieve information about the octocat/Hello-World repository. Assign the URL to the api_url variable and send the request with curl. Also display the HTTP response status code.

Show example solution

api_url="https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World"
curl -sS -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}\n" -X GET "$api_url"

Test yourself

You want to retrieve repository information through an HTTP request. Which HTTP method is suitable?
- DELETE
- GET
- PATCH
- POST
Show answer

GET — The GET method is used to read a resource through an API.

Complete the repository endpoint

GET https://api.github.com/repos/____

Show answer

GET https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World

REST API components

Endpoint

Address used to access a resource
GET

Reads resource data
JSON

Common response data format
HTTP status

Indicates the request result

Next lesson: Authentication

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