# Understanding CloudIO REST APIs

A REST resource in CloudIO can be any piece of information, ranging from a single data record to a collection of records. Each resource in the CloudIO REST API:

* is identified by a named URI
* is accessed using the standard HTTP POST method
* are used to interact with any datasource within CloudIO Platform

For example, you can:

* Obtain detailed information about any CloudIO datasource such as RaUsers or RaRoles
* Obtain detailed information about any application-specific datasource
* Perform a search on any datasource
* Insert, update or delete records

The prominent characteristics of the CloudIO REST API resources and architecture include:

* **Stateless**  Every request from the client to the server contains all the information necessary to understand the request along with the sessionId.
* **Caching** Since all the REST APIs are executed via a datasource and in real-time against a database, the results are not cacheable.
* **HTTP**  All REST APIs are accessed using the HTTP.
* **URI**  All REST APIs are named using a base URI that follows your CloudIO URI. For example, \[[https://host:port/api/Datasource\[/operation\](https://host:port/api/Datasource\[/operation)\\](https://host/:port/api/Datasource\[/operation]\(https://host:port/api/Datasource\[/operation\)/)] where operation is one of the following values—insert, update, delete, post or query