What is an API Endpoint?
An API endpoint is a specific URL that a client application sends requests to in order to interact with a service. Each endpoint represents a distinct function — like taking a screenshot, generating a PDF, or extracting data from a web page.
Anatomy of an API endpoint
An API endpoint has three parts: the base URL (the server address), the path (the specific resource), and the HTTP method (what action to perform). For example:
The client sends a request with headers (like authentication) and a body (the parameters), and the server returns a response with a status code and data. This request-response cycle is the foundation of all API communication.
REST vs GraphQL endpoints
REST
- Multiple endpoints — one per resource (e.g., /users, /posts)
- HTTP methods — GET, POST, PUT, DELETE map to CRUD operations
- Fixed responses — the server decides what data to return
- Cacheable — GET requests can be cached by CDNs and browsers
- Simple — easy to understand, test with cURL, and debug
GraphQL
- Single endpoint — all queries go to /graphql
- Query language — client specifies exactly which fields to return
- Flexible responses — no over-fetching or under-fetching data
- Typed schema — built-in documentation and validation
- Complex — steeper learning curve, harder to cache, needs tooling
SnapRender uses REST endpoints because each operation (screenshot, PDF, scrape, extract) is a distinct action with clear inputs and outputs. REST is the standard for tool APIs where simplicity and reliability matter more than query flexibility.
How SnapRender endpoints work
/v1/screenshotSend a URL, get back a PNG or JPEG screenshot. Supports full-page capture, custom viewport, wait conditions, and Cloudflare bypass.
/v1/pdfRender any URL or HTML string as a PDF document. Control page size, margins, headers/footers, and print styles.
/v1/scrapeFetch a page with full JavaScript rendering and return the HTML or structured content. Handles SPAs, Cloudflare, and anti-bot.
/v1/extractPass CSS selectors and get back the text content of matching elements as clean JSON. Purpose-built for data extraction.
/v1/markdownConvert any web page to clean Markdown. Ideal for feeding web content into LLMs and AI pipelines.
Common HTTP methods
GET
Retrieve data. Should not modify anything on the server. Cacheable. Example: fetching a user profile or list of products.
POST
Create a resource or trigger an action. Sends data in the request body. Example: submitting a form, or requesting a screenshot from SnapRender.
PUT / PATCH
Update an existing resource. PUT replaces the entire resource; PATCH modifies specific fields. Example: updating user settings.
DELETE
Remove a resource. Example: deleting a saved screenshot or canceling an API key.
Frequently asked questions
An API endpoint is a specific URL where a client (your code) sends requests to access a service or resource. For example, https://api.snaprender.dev/v1/screenshot is an endpoint that accepts a URL and returns a screenshot. Each endpoint typically handles one type of operation.
An API (Application Programming Interface) is the entire set of rules and protocols for interacting with a service. An endpoint is a single URL within that API. SnapRender's API has multiple endpoints: /screenshot, /pdf, /scrape, /extract, /markdown — each serving a different function.
REST uses multiple endpoints (one per resource/action) with standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE). GraphQL uses a single endpoint where the client specifies exactly what data it wants in the request body. REST is simpler; GraphQL is more flexible for complex data fetching.
Most APIs use API keys, OAuth tokens, or JWTs. You typically send the credential in an HTTP header (like x-api-key or Authorization: Bearer <token>). SnapRender uses API key authentication via the x-api-key header — no OAuth setup needed.
200 means success. 400 means your request was malformed. 401 means unauthorized (bad API key). 403 means forbidden. 404 means the endpoint doesn't exist. 429 means rate limited (too many requests). 500 means the server had an internal error. Always check the status code before parsing the response body.
Learn more
API Documentation
Full reference for all SnapRender endpoints, parameters, and response formats.
What is Web Scraping?
How web scraping works and why API endpoints simplify the process.
Screenshot API
Capture screenshots of any URL with a single POST request.
Best Web Scraping APIs
Compare top scraping API endpoints by features and pricing.
One API. Five powerful endpoints.
Screenshots, PDFs, scraping, extraction, and Markdown — all from a single API key. Start free.
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