What is the purpose of REST API documentation?

• A. To detail server performance metrics
• B. To provide guidelines for API usage
• C. To list all programming languages
• D. To track API usage statistics

Answer: (B)

The purpose of REST API documentation is fundamentally to provide guidelines for API usage. This documentation serves as a comprehensive guide for developers, detailing how to effectively interact with the API. It typically includes information about the various endpoints available, the expected input parameters, the structure of request and response bodies, authentication mechanisms, and error handling. By offering clear and organized instructions, the documentation enables users to understand how to properly implement the API in their applications, reducing misunderstandings and errors during integration.

Having well-structured documentation is key to promoting usability and efficiency, as it allows developers to quickly find the information they need to use the API effectively. The presence of examples and detailed descriptions in the documentation also helps users grasp the functionalities of the API without needing to dive deep into the source code.

The other options focus on specific aspects that do not encapsulate the primary purpose of API documentation. While server performance metrics and API usage statistics may be relevant for monitoring and analytics, they do not assist in providing the knowledge required for using the API. Likewise, listing programming languages does not relate to how to use the API, making it unrelated to the objective of the documentation.