An endpoint is a specific URL or network address that a client device or application uses to interact with a server or service. Most internet connected apps and websites communicate with endpoints to retrieve information, process user interactions, and perform other processes. For example, when you open a weather app on your phone, the weather app requests for the latest forecast information from a server endpoint.
An endpoint is identified by the network address, which can be a URL, IP, or a combination of both. This network address uniquely identifies the location of the server or service. Clients or client applications communicate with the endpoint’s server or service by sending requests that may contain data or specific parameters via the endpoint. The server retrieves and processes this request, and through the endpoint, the server or service sends back a response that may include data or status to the client.
A server or service can have multiple endpoints where each endpoint offers a different set of functionality or different versions of the server or service. Endpoints are usually associated with HTTP methods such as a GET or POST request that defines the type of operation or action performed on the endpoint’s resource. For example, a GET request to the /v2/droplets
endpoint fetches a list of all the Droplets in your account, while a POST request to /v2/droplets
endpoint creates a new Droplet with required attributes. For more information on endpoints, see DigitalOcean API.
Example Endpoint:
https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/droplets