# REST Interface

{% hint style="warning" %}
**This is the manual for older MicroStream versions (Version < 5.0).**

**The new documentation (Version >= 5.0) is located at:**

[https://docs.microstream.one/](https://docs.microstream.one/manual)
{% endhint %}

The MicroStream Storage isn't a typical database server with administrative tooling and stuff like that. It is just a Java library which runs embedded in your application. The storage data layer, per default the file system, contains the serialized and persisted data. But it is not really accessible, or more precise, human-readable. Nor do we provide a query language to access the storage data.&#x20;

The Java objects, which reside in memory, are easy to inspect and traverse, e.g. with a debugger.

But for various purposes, like monitoring, the requirement to read the actual stored data has come up.

Since version 3.0 a REST interface for the storage data is included. It enables you to access the data via REST calls or a convenient user interface.

It is made up of the following modules:

| ArtifactId                    | Description                                                                                                     |
| ----------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| storage.restadapter           | Adapter for low-level storage data externalization. Used by the REST service to adapt to a MicroStream Storage. |
| storage.restservice           | Abstract REST service interface, which uses the REST adapter to access low level storage data.                  |
| storage.restservice.sparkjava | REST service implementation which utilizes SparkJava and provides REST endpoints.                               |
| storage.restclient            | Abstract REST client interface, which serves as a Java wrapper for the REST API.                                |
| storage.restclient.jersey     | REST client implementation which utilizes Jersey as a webservice framework.                                     |
| storage.restclient.app        | Executable client app with web user interface, which connects to a REST service.                                |


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