Almost every internet post in which the REST API is inflected attracts attention. The REST API stirs up the waters of Internet discussion and is not just talked about by developers. The REST API is beginning to resonate in the ears of ordinary Internet users. And they want to know more about this phenomenon.
Yes, the REST API is undoubtedly an interesting topic for developers, which may change many things in the future.
But what does the REST API mean for the average Internet user and what does it offer?
In this article, I want to look at the REST API to the layman’s eye. So don’t despair unless you are developing applications, you are not a JavaScript positive or PHP guru. The time has come to talk about the REST API in human language. So that at the end of the article my friend understands him, who thinks that REST API is the best new app on the iPhone.
Table of Contents
Let’s go back in time
It’s 2003 and Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little are launching WordPress as a blogging platform for the first time. Nothing more, nothing less. The primary goal was not to democratize content, but also to give people a new way to make money.
Over time, the use of WordPress began to increase and in addition to blogging, WordPress began to be used for other purposes. It wasn’t until one day that WordPress became more than just a blogging platform.
WordPress was originally intended only for blogging, but its popularity grew so fast that it was time to move on.
In 2010, the blog platform became the CMS system in version 3.0.
Of course, that didn’t mean people stopped blogging. On the contrary. Websites whose blogs were part of them were created. Although WordPress became a CMS, it did not lose its blog identity. It still offers a number of topics that are specifically designed for blogs.
What does the REST API offer to regular Internet users?
Talking about the REST API and moving WordPress from the blog platform through the CMS system to the application framework may mean nothing to you unless you are a developer.
However, there are areas where WordPress as an application framework can help users who do not intend to build any application or write a single JavaScript line.
If you have a user account on WordPress.com , then Calypso , as a new interface for managing your content, can greatly simplify the user experience of the site.
It is likely that Calypso will migrate from WordPress and Jetpack to self-hosted WordPress websites. All of this will mean a lot to WordPress users and developers.
The interface that Calypso uses will introduce a new audience of developers who do not work with PHP. This is expected to be one of the biggest changes since the introduction of the admin interface, more than 11 years ago.
This interface will be implemented in WordPress.com and in the Jetpack module. This will mean that if you have a self-hosted website and a Jetpack installed, you will be able to use the Calypso interface.
Calypso is not an alternative to the existing WordPress interface. It is a standalone application that works with websites using the REST API.
What does Calypso include?
- more intuitive interface with less with more order
- faster editing and publishing
- publishing and editing posts and pages
- control and manage comments
- creating and editing menus
- installation of themes and modules
- edit page settings
Modern themes built on JavaScript
Another area in which the REST API offers added value is access to a number of themes and modules that use the REST API along with JavaScript as single-page themes or applications.
Imagine developers developing applications such as themes that users can install on their site and populate with their content.
Imagine being able to create your own calendar, billing system, or budget management in a WordPress theme. This type of application is time and money consuming to develop.
But on the other hand, it can be an investment that pays off. The market is growing and it is not written anywhere that something like this will not be realistic in the near future.
The average WordPress user is not a developer. Many of you that you read regularly at WP.sk are not WordPress gurus.
REST API or not, both professionals and regular WordPress users are still most interested in WordPress as a CMS or as a blogging platform.
We will definitely hear about the REST API and the possibilities it will bring. You can also find all current information and hot news on our WP.sk website 🙂
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