Which data format is commonly used in web APIs?

Which data format is commonly used in web APIs?

• A. XML
• B. JSON
• C. CSV
• D. HTML

Answer: (B)

In web APIs, the data that travels between client and server should be lightweight and easy to process, so developers can quickly read and work with it in code. JSON fits that need perfectly. It’s a text-based format that represents data as objects and arrays, which lines up neatly with how most programming languages structure data. Browsers and servers can parse JSON easily, often with built-in tools, and it’s relatively compact compared to alternatives. This combination of readability, speed, and broad language support makes JSON the default choice for API payloads. XML is more verbose and heavier, serving a different set of needs. CSV is great for simple tabular data but doesn’t handle nested or hierarchical data well. HTML is meant for rendering web pages, not for exchanging structured data between systems.

In web APIs, the data that travels between client and server should be lightweight and easy to process, so developers can quickly read and work with it in code. JSON fits that need perfectly. It’s a text-based format that represents data as objects and arrays, which lines up neatly with how most programming languages structure data. Browsers and servers can parse JSON easily, often with built-in tools, and it’s relatively compact compared to alternatives. This combination of readability, speed, and broad language support makes JSON the default choice for API payloads.

XML is more verbose and heavier, serving a different set of needs. CSV is great for simple tabular data but doesn’t handle nested or hierarchical data well. HTML is meant for rendering web pages, not for exchanging structured data between systems.