Writing REST API Interface (PHP)

Alright, so imagine you're building a cool app or website and you want it to talk to other systems—maybe to grab weather info, show user profiles, or save game scores. That’s where a REST API comes in. REST stands for Representational State Transfer, and an API is just a way for programs to talk to each other. So a REST API is a set of rules that lets one bit of software send and receive data from another using plain old HTTP (like your browser does). You send a request to a specific URL, and boom—you get back data, usually in a format like JSON. It’s simple, clean, and works over the web.

Why is it Important? REST APIs are everywhere. Seriously. Whether you're logging into a game, checking stock prices, or uploading a picture, chances are there’s a REST API behind the scenes making it all happen. They let different apps and services talk without needing to know each other’s insides. It’s like giving your software a universal translator. Because REST uses basic HTTP methods (like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), it’s super easy to use and works with just about every programming language. That makes it a go-to for developers wanting to build fast, connected, and scalable systems.

A good REST API solution is like a good login/admin solution - you could do a quick an dirty solution very easy - but in practice you want it safe and secure (you don't want people trashing your server or causing trouble).

A good REST API isn’t just about sending and receiving data—it’s about doing it right. First off, it should be predictable and consistent. That means using clear URL paths (like `/users/123`) and sticking to proper HTTP methods (GET for fetching, POST for creating, and so on). It also needs to be secure—use HTTPS to protect data, and require authentication (like API keys or tokens) so not just anyone can access it. Oh, and don’t forget input validation—never trust what’s coming in, or you might open the door to bugs or hackers. Lastly, make sure it handles errors gracefully. If something goes wrong, the API should return helpful messages, not just crash or give a generic "500 error." Clean, safe, and solid—that's how you want it.

Core Features

I've listed some features you should think about incorporating into your setup (I've assuming an open access solution).

Basic Functionality
• Multi-file upload support (with configurable limits)
• File download with verification
• File renaming with backup preservation
• File deletion with versioned backups
• Paginated file listing
• Detailed file metadata (name, size, type, modified date)

Security Features
• Input validation and sanitization
• CSRF protection
• Rate limiting (requests per IP)
• Honeypot field to catch bots
• CAPTCHA for sensitive operations
• Secure headers (CSP, XSS, HSTS, etc.)
• File type whitelisting and blacklisting
• Filename sanitization
• MIME type verification
• File content validation
• Secure file permissions (0644)
• Directory traversal protection
• Null byte protection
• PHP tag detection in non-PHP files

File Protection
• Versioned backups (bak0, bak1, etc.)
• Configurable maximum backup versions
• Automatic backup rotation
• File hash verification (SHA-256)
• File integrity checking

Quota Management
• Maximum file size limit (configurable)
• Maximum files per upload (configurable)
• Maximum total upload size (configurable)
• Maximum files per folder (configurable)
• Maximum folder size (configurable)

Error Handling
• Secure error logging
• No sensitive information leakage
• User-friendly error messages
• Multiple error handling layers

Performance
• Pagination for large directories
• Efficient file operations
• Minimal memory usage

Configuration
• All features configurable via constants
• Easy enable/disable of features
• Flexible limits and restrictions
• use

.htaccess

- hide to important files
• ALLOWED_EXTENSIONS - allows

*.*

` - for all extensions

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