REST API Design Best Practices To Follow will be described in this article. The foremost step in creating a REST API is to create a functional specification. It describes the functions of the system, not how it operates. A few mockup screenshots and information flow diagrams may be included, but overall, this is just a high-level paper. In contrast, the API design delves into the specifics of its operation.
Top 14 REST API Design Best Practices To Follow
In this article, you can know about REST API Design Best Practices To Follow here are the details below;
A Quick overview
Numerous websites and pages on the internet promote “API design,” “Best Practices,” and other concepts. About 80% of API design is technical; the remaining 20% is common sense.
Client users can access server data through a web API, which also receives requests from them. Most consumer web traffic consists of data that is requested by clients. On the other hand, customers provide login credentials, complete transactions, complete official paperwork, and so forth.
Data is usually kept on the server in a database such as MySQL. Activities on the database, including downloading, storing, and altering client information, are encapsulated in the client API.
The fundamental concept is to divide the API into large data categories that correspond to the primary database tables. The API client is unaware of the underlying databases, even when client API requests are translated into database activities on the server.
A business retail website, for instance, will feature information about producers, items, consumers, and more. To obtain a concept, visit a website such as Amazon.com.
In terms of APIs, an API target is a URL such as https://www.example.com, and endpoints like /customers, /products, etc. are used to specify the data types. Here is an example of a fully qualified URL-endpoint: https://www.example.com/customers.
More complicated transactions might need separate endpoints, which could result in a database view that is sent back to the client as a JSON or XML file. Lastly, the endpoint may have a query appended to it that filters the output:
The URL is https://www.example.com/customers/cust_details?custNum=123456 and yourname is “John Doe.”
Definitions, templates, and examples for the pertinent REST calls—GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, and others—are included in each endpoint.
Other elements
- An essential component of the API design is formal API documentation. Nothing makes sense without it.
Additionally, the API design has to expressly state:
- HTTP requests payload types for input and output, usually XML or JSON if they are available.
- The meaning of HTTP response codes inside a particular API context: A 404 answer indicates “Page not found,” as is common knowledge, but what specifically was not found in the context of the API and is there anything that can be done to fix the error?
Elements of Rest API design
Three players comprise a REST API:
1. Client-side
Some of the commands have already been fulfilled on the client end. Seldom will client-side developers directly issue these commands. It’s possible to test them in a sandbox with cURL, but using a programme library is more likely. JavaScript is the most widely used client-side programming environment. HTTP/HTTPS requests are handled via the fetch() function. There are related procedures for configuring and decoding JSON files. MDN online docs – JavaScript is a nice place to start with this.
For client-side developers, certain API providers offer specialised libraries that essentially wrap the HTTP REST API requests. That may function effectively for the well-known commercial APIs. For B2B APIs that require or return large amounts of data, it might be less effective.
2. Server-side
The key to everything is what occurs on the server side, and there are no hard-and-fast guidelines. The “80% commonsense” is this. Using the REST API instructions as the foundation for the user interface, the server must provide data or request replies from the user. A local Node.js installation can facilitate a significant amount of design and testing for a server-side developer. For testing and development, you can set up a server with Node.js on your development computer at https://localhost:<port_number>. Consider Node.js as a place to begin.
3. Resources
- Resources are things that are on the server and can be accessed with an HTTP GET request. A resource may occasionally be a backend process that must be invoked in order to process a request and any client-supplied data.
- A POST command has the ability to create resources. It can make a copy of an already-existing resource.
- If there is nothing to update, a PUT command will build a new resource or update an existing one.
- Use the PATCH command to update a resource (such as a single field in a database) without changing it.
Importance of good API design
1. the good
A poorly designed API will turn away consumers and force them to look elsewhere. A well-designed API will draw in users. A commercial service that includes your API will result in either profit or loss.
2. The bad
There are more factors to take into account on a technical level: Your API might have everything going for it—a gorgeous design, user-friendly functionality, and all—but it’s incredibly slow. Additionally, the poor performance will drive away customers, which would reduce income.
3. The Ugly
What would happen if the server-side programming style is “spaghetti code” and everything else is fine? Fixing bugs is challenging, and updates turn into a nightmare. Inadequate code on the server side will lead to higher maintenance expenses.
Although there are many commercial products available to help with API design, common sense is still the most important factor.
Are you prepared to advance the quality of your API documentation? Schedule a demo with Document360 right now!
API design best practices
Ensure that the API scales
The API needs to address issues in the actual world: Test it with an overly long output and under load.
Use an international design standard
Starts well with the OpenAPI v3 specification. Check out the OpenAPI Specification and Swagger Editor by clicking on them.
As simply as possible, but not any less
Although it is a style issue, performance may be impacted: Answer questions with as much detail as is necessary, but no more. A JSON file including all the records with the three fields is unnecessary and even harmful if you are only needed to supply those three fields out of a larger record. It will impede the reaction time and may result in a bottleneck. Additionally, a client-side buffer overflow could result from it.
Make use of REST
There are “devices” to get around REST, the most popular of which are state maintenance techniques. Cookies are the most well-known type. They provide a purpose and are used by the majority of websites, usually to provide session user credentials for every request. In fact, breaking the REST standard could put your security at danger.
Endpoint paths should be written with nouns rather than verbs
The term “customers” is used by this endpoint, https://www.example.com/customers. Avoid the following type of example: https://www.example.com/listingCustomers. The commands GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, etc. are the sole verbs in REST API.
Use HTTP methods for CRUD functions
The terms “create, read, update, and delete” are referred to as “CRUD.” It is not recommended to utilise “smart” programming techniques to get around using the corresponding HTTP methods. Although it’s not platform neutral, you can access a distant database without travelling through HTTP.
Use with HTTP response status codes
This page contains documentation on the HTTP response status codes.
The status codes for HTTP responses provide information about whether a particular HTTP request was fulfilled successfully. Five classes are created from the responses:
- Responses with information (100–199)
- Reactions that are successful (200–299)
- Messages of redirection (300–399)
- Reactions to client errors (400–499)
- Responses to server errors (500–599)
We will often need a 200 answer to indicate that the attempt was successful. 400 replies are frequently fixable by the client, who can then resubmit the request. You might need to click “Comeback later” after 500 responses. 511, Network Authentication Required, which is provided by a proxy that manages server access, is an exception. It indicates that there was a mistake in the client credentials.
Add filtering, sorting, and pagination
All three are achieved in a GET query by appending arguments to the endpoint. The backend developer is largely responsible for this as there is no set procedure. Refer to Filtering, Sorting, and Pagination in REST API Design.
The following paradigm serves as the foundation for an intriguing pagination technique:
- Give the required page length in lines when using the GET query.
- The first page of data and a unique continuation URL are returned by the GET in a JSON file.
- Until no more data is available, keep sending GET requests using the continuation URL.
Enforce security
Make it mandatory to transport data using HTTPS instead than HTTP. This is a big subject that can’t be covered in a little blog post. Start by having a look at this: Here is the content security policy (CSP): Optimal procedures for secure REST APIs: Authorization and authentication, and in this case: Essentials of REST API Security
Using the previous link, here is a brief check list:
- Remain straightforward. How safe an API or system should be is up to you.
- Use HTTPS at all times. Use SSL at all times.
- Employ the hash of your password. Encrypt passwords at all times. Send them in clear text at all times.
- Never divulge private information via URLs. Session tokens, API keys, usernames, and passwords shouldn’t be included in the URL since they can be readily exploited and recorded in web server logs.
- Take into account OAuth for permission.
- Think about including a timestamp with each request. Use a unique HTTP header to do it.Validation of input parameters. This was already mentioned. Should parameter validation fail, reject the request.
Add Cache Data
Data that is often requested is cached. Response data caching can
- Cut back on the amount of bandwidth used.
- Cut down on reaction time
- lessen the server’s workload
- Temporarily conceal network malfunctions
Caching of GET requests happens automatically. DELETE and PUT aren’t.
Cache control headers in a request can be used to regulate caching. View this tutorial for caching: REST API Response Caching.
API Versioning
Versioning is necessary in the following situations:
- Fixing bugs
- Including extra features
- whole new release
A three-digit code is the foundation of a common versioning scheme:
<Major-Release> <Minor-Release> <Maintenance-Build-Level>
The API cannot be altered in order to fix bugs. To the user of the API, it is transparent. The Maintenance-Build-Level is raised as a result.
It’s possible that adding new functionality won’t have any impact on the current API calls. The use of them is entirely up to the API user. There is an increase in the Minor-Release number.
It’s possible that a major release won’t always work with older versions. This necessitates the earlier release being accessible for at least the duration of its acknowledged deprecation term.
This brings up the question of how to incorporate the version number in an API call without breaking already-written client code. How to Version a REST API is one method of approaching the topic. Here’s another brief description: Four strategies for versioning REST APIs.
Define the desired capability and how to obtain it while adhering to current standards
Typically, the OpenAPI standard would be utilised. Swagger can be used to prototype an API that adheres to the standard. This is the first time we have been exposed to the necessity of designing and implementing the project iteratively, with clearly defined project milestones to evaluate progress. This is not the place for an informal blog, but it is a significant project management issue. Also check capital one 360 savings login
Consider building good client-side implementations rather than just network access
This is essentially how utilising a raw cURL command line request differs from using a client-side SDK (Software Development Kit). These SDKs are provided by the majority of client-side development environments as pre-installed libraries or packages. It can be done with the JavaScript get() API, but it requires some “setup” before a call can be made. To make life easier for the developer, a number of commercial services package or replace the fetch call. Take a look at the Top 10 JavaScript HTTP Request Libraries, for instance.
Focus on use-cases
It has to do with the paperwork. A three-way split window with a brief ToC on the left, documentation text in the middle, and sample code on the left—with the ability to select the developer language—is a feature of many CCMSs, including Document360.
The sample code should, if at all possible, yield results that are not trivial. You can test out actual HTTP queries in a sandbox that is provided by some api documentation tools. As an alternative, it could be necessary to connect the CCMS documentation tool to the sandbox.
Common API design mistakes
The following are some typical errors made in API design:
- Don’t utilise more endpoints than necessary. Rather, take into account variables such as {some_spec}.
- Choose the appropriate HTTP command (UPDATE, POST, or PUT).
- Verify client-side input data entry.
- Make sure the API can be scaled.
- Make sure the API is safe by switching to HTTPS from HTTP.
- Avert surveying for recurrent requests. Employ webhooks.
- Take caution when using HTTP response codes, and make sure you have adequate error handling
- Absence of API documentation throughout development; unable to handle a high volume of requests: Reaction time
Conclusions
It is imperative that you understand how to code the things you create. On the other hand, be careful to only design things that you can code! Also check Benefits of Hiring a Professional landscaping services
Any suitable coding platform can be used on the server side; the decision is typically made based more on “religious belief” than on rationale. JavaScript can now be used to write client-side and server-side programmes. That can be a huge usefulness when it comes to allocating resources for development staff.
The implementation of a REST API is not entirely separate from its design. You will need to have it running in order to perform the client-side API, even if everything you require on the server side is clearly documented. Having a local workstation running Node.js or a real development server makes no difference.
The most difficult element is, in a sense, designing the client side. You must make accommodations for a user who is (probably) not technical. It’s not difficult to get the HTTP API to function “nicely” by using Postman or a similar tool; the difficult part is integrating everything into the user experience. Although that is unrelated, there are UX solutions available for this that support JavaScript in addition to others. The iterative process of design, implementation, and documentation is what matters.
You have to evaluate everything in light of your Functional Spec at the end.
- Thus, the following supplementary tools will help guarantee that creating a REST API is successful:
- There are some excellent online courses available if JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and other web goodies are new to you.
I made use of these
- JavaScript: The Whole Course in JavaScript 2023: From Novice to Pro!
- js: Express, MongoDB, Node.js, and More: The Whole Bootcamp 2023
(Includes a RESTful API with pagination, sorts, and filters.)
Books I enjoy reading:
- Flanagan, JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, O’Reilly Node.Springer, S., “js: The Comprehensive Guide,” Rheinwerk Computing
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