title: Meaning and usage of "_embedded" in HATEOAS
body: <p>I'm using Spring Data REST, which supports HATEOAS. I'm new to this paradigm.</p>
  
  <p>In <code>GET</code> responses from my RESTful web service I often receive results inside a node named <code>_embedded</code>. </p>
  
  <p>I'm wondering: <strong>what is <code>_embedded</code> node for? Is it part of REST specification? Or part of HATEOAS specification? Or is it specific for the Spring implementation of them?</strong></p>
  
  <p>This is an example of JSON result for <code>GET http://localhost:8080/mywebservice/features</code>:</p>
  
  <pre><code>{
     "_links":
     {
         "search": { "href": "http://localhost:8080/mywebservice/features/search" }
     },
     "_embedded":
     {
         "features":
         [
             {
                 "feature": "GROUND",
                 "name": "Terreno",
                 "data_type": "String",
                 "_links":
                 {
                     "self"  : { "href": "http://localhost:8080/mywebservice/features/GROUND" },
                     "values": { "href": "http://localhost:8080/mywebservice/features/GROUND }
                 }
             },
  
             ...
  
         ]
     }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I noticed that I almost always have <code>_embedded</code> node in the response: if I request a collection, but even if a request a single resource by a search (for instance with <code>GET http://localhost:8080/mywebservice/persons/search/findByEmail?email=example@example@.com</code>).</p>
  
  <p>I don't get <code>_embedded</code> node only if the request is for a specific resource, for instance when doing <code>GET http://localhost:8080/mywebservice/features/GROUND</code>.</p>