API Design Best Practices: Building Robust REST APIs

API Design Best Practices: Building Robust REST APIs

A well-designed API is the foundation of modern software architecture. Poor API design leads to confusion, maintenance issues, and unhappy developers.

RESTful Principles

Follow REST conventions: use HTTP verbs correctly (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), use meaningful URLs, return appropriate status codes.

Versioning

Plan for API evolution. Use URL versioning (/v1/, /v2/) to maintain backward compatibility.

GET /api/v1/users/123
POST /api/v2/posts

Authentication and Authorization

Implement OAuth 2.0 or JWT for secure authentication. Always validate permissions for every endpoint.

Rate Limiting

Protect your API with rate limiting to prevent abuse and ensure fair usage.

Documentation

Use OpenAPI/Swagger to document your API. Make it easy for developers to understand and use your endpoints.

Error Handling

Return meaningful error messages with appropriate HTTP status codes.

{
  "error": "Invalid request",
  "code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
  "details": {
    "email": "Invalid email format"
  }
}

Pagination

Always paginate large result sets. Use limit and offset parameters.

Your API is your contract with other developers. Make it clear, consistent, and predictable.