...

curl -s -H "Accept: application/json" http://localhost:8080/rest/communities | python -m json.tool

For this documentation, we will assume that the URL to the "REST" webapp will be http://localhost:8080/rest/ for production systems, this address will be slightly different, such as: https://demo.dspace.org/rest/. The path to an endpoint, will go after the /rest/, such as /rest/communities, all-together this is: http://localhost:8080/rest/communities

...

• GET /items - Return list of items.
• GET /items/{item id} - Return item.
• GET /items/{item id}/metadata - Return item metadata.
• GET /items/{item id}/bitstreams - Return item bitstreams.
• POST /items/find-by-metadata-field - Find items by metadata entry. You must post a MetadataEntry. 
• POST /items/{item id}/metadata - Add metadata to item. You must post an array of MetadataEntry.
• POST /items/{item id}/bitstreams - Add bitstream to item. You must post a Bitstream.
• PUT /items/{item id}/metadata - Update metadata in item. You must put a MetadataEntry. *
• DELETE /items/{item id} - Delete item.
• DELETE /items/{item id}/metadata - Clear item metadata.
• DELETE /items/{item id}/bitstreams/{bitstream id} - Delete item bitstream.

* note that each metadata entry that you put will replace all prior matching metadata entries, i.e. if you submit n 'dc.subject' entries all pre-existing 'dc.subject' entries in the item will be deleted and replaced with the n entries

Bitstreams

Bitstreams are files. They have a filename, size (in bytes), and a file format. Typically in DSpace, the Bitstream will the "full text" article, or some other media. Some files are the actual file that was uploaded (tagged with bundleName:ORIGINAL), others are DSpace-generated files that are derivatives or renditions, such as text-extraction, or thumbnails. You can download files/bitstreams. DSpace doesn't really limit the type of files that it takes in, so this could be PDF, JPG, audio, video, zip, or other. Also, the logo for a Collection or a Community, is also a Bitstream.

...

{"okay":true,"authenticated":true,"email":"test@dspace.org","fullname":"DSpace Test User","token":"6d45daaa-7b02-4ae7-86de-a960838fae5c"}

...

Introduction to Jersey for developers

...