Modern API Design: REST is Dead, Long Live REST
The obituaries for REST were premature. While GraphQL and gRPC have their place, REST remains the dominant paradigm.
What's Changed
Versioning
We stopped versioning APIs. Instead, we design for backward compatibility from day one.
Pagination
Offset pagination is a trap. We use cursor-based pagination everywhere.
Error Handling
Standard HTTP status codes aren't enough. We implement detailed error responses with codes that help clients handle errors intelligently.
Rate Limiting
API rate limits need to be transparent. We return rate limit information in headers and provide clear guidance to clients.
Best Practices We've Learned
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Design for clients, not servers: Think about what's convenient for the people using your API, not what's easy to build.
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Document obsessively: Ambiguous APIs create broken integrations. Over-communicate.
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Version thoughtfully: If you must version, don't do it in the URL. Use headers.
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Security first: Auth, encryption, and validation aren't afterthoughts.
The Tools We Use
- OpenAPI/Swagger for documentation
- Postman for testing
- Hoppscotch for exploration
Closing Thoughts
Good API design is good product design. Spend the time to get it right.