REST API Design: 5 Best Practices for Modern Developers

A well-designed API is a joy to use. A poorly designed one creates technical debt for years. Here are five non-negotiable rules for RESTful design.

1. Use Nouns, Not Verbs

Your endpoints should represent resources. Use /users instead of /getAllUsers. Use HTTP methods (GET, POST, DELETE) to define the action.

2. Version Your API

Never release an API without a version in the URL, like /v1/products. This allows you to introduce breaking changes in /v2 without killing existing apps.

3. Return Proper Status Codes

Don't return 200 OK with an error message in the JSON. If a resource isn't found, return 404. If the request is invalid, return 400.

4. Use JSON Throughout

Consistency is key. Ensure your Content-Type is always application/json and that your error responses follow a standard format.

5. Limit Your Results

Never return 10,000 items in a single request. Implement Pagination and filtering by default to protect your server's performance.