1. REST API for Oracle Public Sector Compliance and RegulationREST API for Oracle Public Sector Compliance and Regulation Cloud
  2. Reference
  3. Terminology

Terminology

If you're new to Oracle REST API, you're bound to run into unfamiliar terms. Review these definitions to better understand the tech lingo.

  • Base64: Encoding schemes that convert binary data to a text string format, so that the data can be securely transmitted in HTTP headers. Base64 encodes by dividing a string of bytes into groups of bits, so that each group maps to one of 64 characters, avoiding the risk of sending raw binary data across networks.

  • Basic Authentication: A simple and commonly used identifying process built into the HTTP protocol that collects credentials as user name / password pairs. The client sends HTTP requests with the Authorization header in the Base64-encoded format: Basic username:password. It's usually implemented with a secondary level of security.

  • Collection Resource: Represents a list of items, such as accounts, employees, purchase orders, or opportunities.

  • Endpoint: A URI on a server that can return a response. The terms resource and endpoint can be used interchangeably.

  • HTTP Header: Components of request and response messages in Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) that carry information and define the operating parameters of an HTTP transaction. For examples, see Work with your REST API Client.

  • List of Values (LOV) Resource: A resource that provides a list of valid choices that you can use for a field. There are two types of LOV resources:
    • Lookup: A short static list that contains field choices. For example, a lookup value (LOV) resource provides the defined values (Mr., Mrs., Ms., and so on) available for a Salutation field.
    • Dynamic: A list of valid choices that change based on the context of the resource. For example, a dynamic list of values for cities changes based on the selected country.

  • Resource: An object with a type, associated data, and relationships to other resources. Examples include a single document, image, object, or a collection of resources. You can use a set of HTTP methods to access a resource. To learn more, see Resource Types.

  • Resource Index URI: The starting point for all authenticated access to REST resources, providing the path to the set of available top-level Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) entry points. In this example path, the resource index URI is ://servername.com/Your RestApi/resources/11.13.18.05/accounts

  • Resource Representation: The current or intended resource state, delivered as a server response. It includes, in JSON format, both the metadata and state of the data .

  • Response Payload: Data that the server returns when answering an HTTP request. The response payload might be a JSON, XML, or text document.

  • Root Resource: An individual resource that does not require a containing context. It is generally the top level collection without path parameters and is found in a resource index.

  • Singular Resource: Represents a single entity, such as an employee, an account, or a job. To learn more, see Resource Types.

  • Subresource: A type of resource used to make its relationship to other entities more obvious. Its relationship type can be parent-child, such as addresses to contacts, or it can be aggregate, such as orders to customers.

  • Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Part or all of a path used to address a particular resource involved in an interaction. Examples of URIs include URLs (Uniform Resource Locater) and URNs (Uniform Resource Name). In the following URI example, the full address string is the URL, and the target resource, accounts, is the URN: https://servername.com/Your RestApi/resources/11.13.18.05/accounts