What is an Endpoint

An endpoint is a specific URL and HTTP method combination that an API exposes. GET /users is one endpoint (list users). POST /users is a different endpoint (create a user). Same URL, different verbs, different operations.

How it works

Each endpoint maps to a handler function on the server. When a request arrives, the server matches the verb and URL pattern to a handler: GET /users/:id matches a function that reads a user by ID. API documentation lists all available endpoints, their parameters, request bodies, and response formats.

Why it matters

The number and design of endpoints define an API's surface area. REST APIs tend to have many endpoints (one per resource per action). GraphQL has a single endpoint (POST /graphql) that handles all operations through the query language. Fewer endpoints doesn't mean simpler — it means the complexity moves from URL design to query design.

See How REST Works for how endpoints are organized around resources and verbs.