What is a characteristic of the REST API?

The REST API is characterized by its flexibility in data representation, allowing for both JSON and XML formats. This enables developers to choose the format that best suits their needs or the needs of their applications. JSON has become increasingly popular due to its lightweight nature and ease of use with web technologies, but the option for XML provides compatibility with older systems that may still rely on this format.

This adaptability plays a crucial role in modern web services, as it allows for integration with a variety of platforms and programming languages, enhancing interoperability. The choice of format can affect performance, ease of parsing, and data exchange efficiency, all of which are essential considerations in API design.

In contrast, the incorrect options highlight limitations or attributes not related to the standard characteristics of the REST API. For instance, stating that it is only compatible with XML overlooks the critical functionality to handle JSON, while the mention of SOAP messages is inherently incorrect, as REST and SOAP are fundamentally different protocols. Finally, while network access might involve firewall configurations and ports, the REST API itself is not defined by such requirements, as it can use standard HTTP ports.