What are the common data formats in which HTTP responses generally return?
HTTP responses generally return data in JSON, XML, CSV, or HTML format.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for computers to parse and generate. It is widely used in web applications due to its simplicity and flexibility. JSON is often used for transmitting data between a server and a web application, as well as storing data in databases.
XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language that defines rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. It was widely used in web applications in the past, but has been largely replaced by JSON due to its verbosity and complexity. XML is still used in some cases where a more structured and hierarchical data format is needed.
CSV (Comma-Separated Values)
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a simple file format used to store tabular data (numbers and text) in plain text. It is commonly used for importing and exporting data between different software applications, such as spreadsheet programs. While not as versatile as JSON or XML, CSV is efficient for representing simple tabular data.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the standard markup language for creating web pages. It is used to structure content on the web, including the presentation and formatting of text, images, and other elements. While HTML is primarily used for rendering web pages in browsers, it can also be used to format data returned in HTTP responses.