Using a RESTful API to get data from a music database

Catching up on REST

© Photo by Aleksandar Cvetanovic on unsplash

© Photo by Aleksandar Cvetanovic on unsplash

Article from Issue 276/2023
Author(s):

Craft the perfect URL to access metadata in an online music database.

Many network-based web services offer APIs that comply with the REpresentational State Transfer (REST) design style. APIs that comply with REST constraints are called RESTful.

RESTful APIs are attractive because they leverage existing HTTP infrastructure, the same infrastructure and protocols that browsers use. As a result, a RESTful API has access to a great variety of resources (applications, libraries, developers, etc.). From an end-user perspective, you can use your existing browser as a client to access server databases. Developers like RESTful APIs because it is easy to integrate server data and resources into applications.

Music services often use RESTful APIs to provide metadata about artists and musical tracks. Offering this data through a REST interface makes it very easy to build a client application that will receive and display the information. This article shows how to query music data through a RESTful API.

[...]

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).

Buy this article as PDF

Download Article PDF now with Express Checkout
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
Print Issues
Digital Issues
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Print Subscriptions
Digital Subscriptions

Related content

  • Navidrome and Funkwhale

    If you like sharing music but don't want to give up your independence, try Navidrome, an open source, web-based music collection server and streamer, or Funkwhale, a platform for uploading, sharing, and publishing audio content across the federated web.

    more »
  • Managing Music with Picard

    Getting that iTunes experience requires more than just Amarok or Rhythmbox. It also requires planning – especially if you went digital before the Linux desktop had audio players.

    more »
  • Audex CD Ripper

    With the Audex CD ripper, you can start digitizing your personal music collection immediately.

    more »
  • FOSSPicks

    Nate explores the top FOSS, including the shiny new Zen Browser, a secure file eraser, an online office suite, and a very cool team combat game.

    more »
  • Video Streaming

    Thanks to protocols such as UPnP and DLNA, video, audio, and photos are distributed to TVs, gaming consoles, PCs, and smartphones without the need for configuration. Linux as a central media server is a welcome guest.

    more »
comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News

Tag Cloud

Administration Community Desktop Events Hardware Linux Mobile Programming Security Software Ubuntu Web Development Windows free software open source