RESTful API Design Principles

REST (Representational State Transfer) is the standard for web APIs.

Resource-Oriented Design

Design your API around resources, not actions.

GET /users          // Get all users
GET /users/1        // Get user with id 1
POST /users         // Create new user
PUT /users/1        // Update user 1
DELETE /users/1     // Delete user 1

Status Codes

Use appropriate HTTP status codes:

• 200 OK: Successful request
• 201 Created: Resource created
• 400 Bad Request: Invalid input
• 404 Not Found: Resource doesn't exist
• 500 Server Error: Server error

Versioning

Version your API for backward compatibility:

GET /api/v1/users
GET /api/v2/users

Documentation

Provide clear documentation with examples.

Best Practices

Use consistent naming, proper authentication, and rate limiting.