RESTful API vs Web Service API

Question

I am looking at doing a small web application for learning purposes, using .NET. My conundrum is whether I should be exposing application logic to other sites and applications via a REST API, or a set of Web Services.

I am familiar with web services, but have not worked with REST. I understand the concepts of REST, I just have no practical experience with it.

Why would I use REST instead of web services for this scenario? Or not? What the issues that I should be mindful of when designing a REST API, particularly with .NET?

Answer 1

Has been asked many times, e.g.

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/90451/why-would-one-use-rest-instead-of-web-services
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/840653/wsdl-vs-rest-pros-and-cons
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/76595/soap-or-rest

Answer 2

.NET offers frameworks for both cases - Windows Communication Foundation for web services and ADO.NET Data Services for a REST API.

Both technologies are equaly powerful, but personaly I think a REST API is a smarter, cleaner solution. It ís somewhat more lightweight.

Further ADO.NET Data Services has the advantage that is very easy to get data from the database to the front end - even complete object graphs. A big win if you design a datacentric application.