What is the role of request formats in a data exchange system?

Request formats define the structure and method of data transmission between the client and server in a data exchange system. They ensure consistency and mutual understanding of information by both parties.

The role of request formats:

• Standardization: enable different systems to understand each other.
• Simplification of processing: the server can parse and process data according to a known format.
• Security and validation: the format helps verify the correctness and completeness of data.

Examples of formats include JSON, XML, form-data. In PHP, for example, when receiving a JSON request, you can use json_decode to convert it into an array or object.

$data = json_decode(file_get_contents('php://input'), true);