Technologies
REST API Development
A REST API is defined by how consistently it's used, not by strict adherence to a spec — resource-based URLs, correct HTTP methods and status codes, and predictable error shapes make an API easy for any client to consume, including a frontend built by someone other than the API's author.
I design APIs around the actual resources and operations a system needs, with versioning and authentication decided upfront rather than retrofitted.
What a Well-Designed REST API Looks Like
- checkResource-based URLs (/orders/:id, not /getOrderById)
- checkCorrect use of HTTP methods (GET, POST, PATCH, DELETE) and status codes
- checkConsistent error response shape across every endpoint
- checkPagination for any endpoint that can return an unbounded list
- checkVersioning strategy defined before the first breaking change is needed
Authentication and Authorization
API keys for server-to-server integrations, JWTs or session cookies for user-facing apps — the choice depends on who's calling the API and how. Authorization (what an authenticated caller is allowed to do) is checked per endpoint, not assumed from the fact that a request is authenticated at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I version a REST API?add
A version in the URL path (/v1/orders) is the simplest and most explicit approach — it's visible in every request and makes it obvious which version a given client is using, which matters once you need to make a breaking change without disrupting existing consumers.
What's a good error response format?add
Consistent, structured errors — an error code, a human-readable message, and enough detail for the client to know what went wrong, on every endpoint, not just some of them. Inconsistent error shapes are one of the more common frustrations for anyone integrating against an API.
How do you handle rate limiting?add
Per-client or per-API-key limits enforced at the API layer, with rate limit headers returned so clients can back off appropriately rather than hitting a wall with no information.