# Intro: Making requests

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Note:** Make sure you have initialized your API host before making calls to your microservice. Check [Initialization of the API](/microservice-api/reference/initialization.md#initialization-of-the-api) before continuing.
{% endhint %}

### Quick: What are API requests?

Utilizing API requests enables communication between your Minecraft server and your microservices. This proves to be a valuable tool in the development of plugins, as it grants the plugin access to external data that can be incorporated into the gaming experience.

### Which request method would be best to use?

A thorough understanding of the appropriate request methods and their corresponding status codes is crucial when working with microservices.

The four most commonly utilized request methods in microservices are `GET`, `POST`, \
`PUT` and `DELETE`.  Here are some recommended scenarios for their use in your plugin:

<table><thead><tr><th width="123">Method</th><th>Example purpose</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><mark style="color:blue;"><strong>GET</strong></mark></td><td>Retrieve player data such as name, statistics, inventory, etc. </td></tr><tr><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>POST</strong></mark></td><td>Allow players to submit content, such as creating a clan or an in-game object.</td></tr><tr><td><mark style="color:yellow;"><strong>PUT</strong></mark></td><td>Update player data such as adding coins or updating their inventory.</td></tr><tr><td><mark style="color:red;"><strong>DELETE</strong></mark></td><td>Remove player data, such as deleting a friend or when their account is deleted.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Proceed to the next section to gain knowledge on how to establish communication between your Minecraft server and your microservice.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://walkinthepark.gitbook.io/microservice-api/reference/intro-making-requests.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.