How can a user verify if RESTCONF is enabled on a device?

Verifying if RESTCONF is enabled on a device can be effectively accomplished by sending a GET request to the well-known URI '/.well-known/host-meta'. This URI is associated with RESTful services that conform to the principles of the Web Linking specification, which is part of the W3C’s effort to standardize resource discovery on the web.

When a GET request is sent to this endpoint, if RESTCONF is properly enabled, the device will respond with a representation of its capabilities, which should include information relevant to RESTCONF services. This response indicates that the RESTCONF service is operational and accessible.

On the other hand, checking logs for RESTCONF initialization might not provide a definitive answer, as logs might not be available or may not show initialization clearly. Looking for a command in the CLI specific to RESTCONF is relevant during the configuration phase but does not confirm that RESTCONF is enabled on that device. Similarly, attempting to access RESTCONF help documentation does not guarantee that the service is running; it might merely indicate availability of documentation without confirming functional status of the service itself.

Thus, the most reliable method to verify the operational status of RESTCONF on a device is by sending that specific GET request to the defined endpoint.