Fetch API

The Fetch API is a modern JavaScript interface for retrieving resources over the network, such as making HTTP requests to an API or loading data from a server. It largely replaces the older XMLHttpRequest method and provides a simpler, more flexible, and more powerful way to handle network requests.

Basic Functionality

• The Fetch API is based on Promises, making asynchronous operations easier.
• It allows fetching data in various formats like JSON, text, or Blob.
• By default, Fetch uses the GET method but also supports POST, PUT, DELETE, and other HTTP methods.

Simple Example

fetch('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1')
  .then(response => response.json()) // Convert response to JSON
  .then(data => console.log(data)) // Log the data
  .catch(error => console.error('Error:', error)); // Handle errors

Making a POST Request

fetch('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ title: 'New Post', body: 'Post content', userId: 1 })
})
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

Advantages of the Fetch API

✅ Simpler syntax compared to XMLHttpRequest
✅ Supports async/await for better readability
✅ Flexible request and response handling
✅ Better error management using Promises

The Fetch API is now supported in all modern browsers and is an essential technique for web development.