Setting Up REST API in WordPress & its Various Integrations

Imagine your WordPress interface without a block editor or a plugin. It would be difficult to work it out, right? Setting up REST API in WordPress helps us avoid this obstacle and many more.

It is responsible for enabling WordPress to interact with external applications. Whether it’s plugins, themes, custom applications, the block editor, etc., REST API allows all of them to access WP site data seamlessly.

In this blog, we will explore the process of setting up REST API in WordPress and the ways it can be integrated to make the interface accessible.

Understanding REST API Endpoints

The client might have two reasons to send a request to another application’s API:

• Requesting a resource from the app’s database

• Requesting the application to perform an action on the server

Once the API fulfils the client’s request, it responds to it to inform the status – whether completed or denied. It can also reply to the client with the requested resources.

An API gives multiple resources (clients) access to the server. To identify which one is sending the request, they use endpoints. While sending over a request, clients use a specified endpoint, also known as a URL, to make a request.

Endpoints are the locations of the resources, whereas APIs play a crucial role in allowing two applications to share their resources.

How to Test REST API Endpoints

REST API uses HTTP methods to inform the API which action to take. The four common methods to test REST API methods are:

• To retrieve a resource: GET

• To create a resource: POST

• To update an existing resource: PUT

• To remove a resource: DELETE

To make a request, write HTTP and follow it up with the endpoint URL.

Creating Custom REST API Endpoints

• Create a function to register the REST route with the register_response_route() function.

• Use get_response() to create a callback function.

• Rest_api_init will help you add the action hook and run the function create_custom_endpoint, which will initialize the REST API on the WP.

Integrating Third-Party APIs

Integrating third-party APIs enhances an application’s functionality by allowing it to communicate with external services.

Steps to Integrate Third-Party APIs

• Identify which APIs will fulfil your needs and have the required functionality.

• Things to know about that particular API documentation: how to use it, endpoints, request methods, and response formats.

• Sign up on the API provider’s website and get the API key.

• You can use tools like Postman to test the API before integrating it.

• Set up the HTTP requests to integrate the API.

• Issues might arise during API integration, so be ready to handle errors.

Now that you know how to integrate third-party APIs, let’s look at the multiple ways you can use them in the WordPress interface.

Using REST API for CRUD Operations

CRUD – create, read, update, delete are responsible for helping data interact with the database.

To create a CRUD REST API:

• Install Node.js.

• Have a code editor ready.

• Go to the terminal/ command prompt and type the commands mkdir to create your project’s directory & npm init -y to initialize it.

• Install the required packages for HTTP and parsing requests.

• Create an app.js file in your project directory and write the required code.

• Define the code for your routes for handling CRUD operations in the same app.js code.

• Run your server.

For example, if you are creating an index.js file in your directory, the code for setting up your express server can look like this:

const express = require(‘express’);

const bodyParser = require(‘body-parser’);

const app = express();

const port = 3000; // Choose any available port

app.use(bodyParser.json());

// Your routes will go here

app.listen(port, () => {

  console.log(`Server running on port ${port}`);

});

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