API Design Best Practices

REST API Design

• Use nouns for resources (/users, /orders)
• Use HTTP methods correctly (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• Use proper status codes
• Version your API (/v1/users)
• Use plural nouns

HTTP Status Codes

• 200 OK – Success
• 201 Created – Resource created
• 204 No Content – Deletion success
• 400 Bad Request – Client error
• 401 Unauthorized – Authentication required
• 403 Forbidden – Not allowed
• 404 Not Found – Resource not found
• 500 Internal Server Error – Server error

Request/Response

• Use JSON consistently
• Use camelCase for field names
• Include error details in responses
• Implement pagination for lists
• Use HATEOAS for discoverability

GraphQL

• Define clear schema
• Use fragments for reuse
• Implement proper error handling
• Use DataLoader for N+1
• Implement query complexity limits

Documentation

• Use OpenAPI/Swagger for REST
• Document all endpoints
• Include request/response examples
• Document error responses
• Keep docs in sync with code

Versioning

• Use URL versioning (/v1/)
• Or use header versioning
• Maintain backward compatibility
• Deprecate gracefully