Any difference between REST and HTTP library for client side use?

Question

I have to write a client (in C++) that consumes REST apis of a server and am searching for a library for REST communication. I want to know if I can google for any HTTP library which supports GET/PUT/POST/DELETE methods or does it have to be specifically a REST library? Does it make any difference given that REST is a set of guidelines over HTTP use?

Answer 1

REST is well suited to use over HTTP, but it's not limited to HTTP. You don't have to have a special REST library in order to communicate with a REST web service -- you can just use whatever HTTP API you have at your disposal. However, there may be REST libraries out there that make dealing with REST APIs easier than doing straight HTTP yourself.