First, let's take a quick look at the grounding of the provided API. All functions available in Visual Studio and in the management portal are also available in the API. In fact, the API actually provides more capabilities than these tools do, as we'll see. This shouldn't be too much of a surprise as it is often the case—the API usually comes first and the tools later. It's therefore a good idea to understand what the API can do. Underpinning this API is a set of web services accessible using HTTP. WABS uses RESTful services for this. REST is not a standard or protocol, but an architectural style that enables simple HTTP-based integration. It doesn't need the overhead of SOAP or frameworks such as Microsoft's WCF. In fact, you can often use just your web browser to make requests or query for information. REST is based on a set of standard HTTP verbs that specify the type of request. WABS uses the following HTTP verbs in its API: