# API Routes

In this chapter, you’ll learn what API routes are and how to create them.

## What is an API Route?

An API route is a REST endpoint that exposes commerce features to external applications, such as storefronts, the admin dashboard, or third-party systems.

The Medusa core application provides a set of [admin](https://docs.medusajs.com/api/admin) and [store](https://docs.medusajs.com/api/store) API routes out-of-the-box. You can also create custom API routes to expose your custom functionalities.

***

## How to Create an API Route?

You can create an API route in a TypeScript or JavaScript file under the `src/api` directory of your Medusa application. The file’s name must be `route.ts` or `route.js`.

![Example of API route in the application's directory structure](https://res.cloudinary.com/dza7lstvk/image/upload/v1732808645/Medusa%20Book/route-dir-overview_dqgzmk.jpg)

Each file exports API route handler functions for at least one HTTP method (`GET`, `POST`, `DELETE`, etc…).

For example, to create a `GET` API route at `/hello-world`, create the file `src/api/hello-world/route.ts` with the following content:

```ts title="src/api/hello-world/route.ts"
import type {
  MedusaRequest,
  MedusaResponse,
} from "@medusajs/framework/http"

export const GET = (
  req: MedusaRequest,
  res: MedusaResponse
) => {
  res.json({
    message: "[GET] Hello world!",
  })
}
```

### Test the API Route

To test the API route above, start the Medusa application:

```bash npm2yarn
npm run dev
```

Then, send a `GET` request to the `/hello-world` API route:

```bash
curl http://localhost:9000/hello-world
```

You should receive the following response:

```json
{
  "message": "[GET] Hello world!"
}
```

***

## Next Chapters: Learn More About API Routes

Follow the next chapters to learn about the different HTTP methods you can use in API routes, parameters and validation, protecting routes, and more.


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