REST API Design Best Practices for Modern Web Applications

Designing a good REST API is crucial for building scalable and maintainable web applications. Let's explore the best practices.

Core Principles

1. Use RESTful URL Conventions

• Use nouns, not verbs: /users instead of /getUsers
• Use plural nouns: /products not /product
• Use hierarchical structure: /users/{id}/orders

2. HTTP Methods

• GET - Retrieve resources
• POST - Create new resources
• PUT - Update entire resources
• PATCH - Partial updates
• DELETE - Remove resources

3. Status Codes

• 200 - Success
• 201 - Created
• 400 - Bad Request
• 401 - Unauthorized
• 404 - Not Found
• 500 - Server Error

4. Versioning

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

5. Error Handling

{
  "error": {
    "code": "USER_NOT_FOUND",
    "message": "User does not exist"
  }
}

Conclusion

Following these REST API best practices will help you build robust and developer-friendly APIs!