8 Tips for Efficient API Design

 

8 Tips for Efficient API Design

• Domain Model Driven
  When designing the path structure of a RESTful API, we can refer to the domain model.
  

• Choose Proper HTTP Methods
  Defining a few basic HTTP Methods can simplify the API design. For example, PATCH can often be a problem for teams.
  

• Implement Idempotence Properly
  Designing for idempotence in advance can improve the robustness of an API. GET method is idempotent, but POST needs to be designed properly to be idempotent.
  

• Choose Proper HTTP Status Codes
  Define a limited number of HTTP status codes to use to simplify application development.
  

• Versioning
  Designing the version number for the API in advance can simplify upgrade work.
  

• Semantic Paths
  Using semantic paths makes APIs easier to understand, so that users can find the correct APIs in the documentation.
  

• Batch Processing
  Use batch/bulk as a keyword and place it at the end of the path.
  

• Query Language
  Designing a set of query rules makes the API more flexible. For example, pagination, sorting, filtering etc.