Top 8 Best Practices Of Rest APIs

Did you know that there exists a resource-based architectural style to develop APIs? This architectural style is REST. REST style is genuinely compatible and flexible with the major Internet protocol such as HTTP. One of the biggest advantages of using REST is that it renders the state of freedom to implement several RESTful API design practices.

What is RESTful API?

The RESTful API is a reliable service that is based on the client-server architecture, stateless and cacheable rules. It utilizes HTTP methods to handle the set of resources. Almost every designer and developer works hard to make an API which is amazing to use.

After conducting deep research and thorough analysis, below are the best 8 REST API best practices:

1.        Avoid the Usage of Verbs in URIs:

Once you know the basics of designing REST APIs, it’s a good practice to avoid using verbs in a Uniform Resource Identifier. The reason is that HTTP verbs are  decent enough to depict the performed action on a particular resource.

2.        Try to Return Error Attributes in Response Body:

It is a great option to return error attributes in JSON body when the server of an API handles an error. This practice assists users to debug the code and make an effective RESTful API.

3.        Use JSON Output Format:

REST permits the usage of various output formats to build an API as per your unique business demands. These output formats include JSON, plain text, RSS, XML and much more. Use JSON format, as this is an easy-to-parse and lightweight data-interchange format.

4.        Use Nouns for Better Results:

Instead of using verbs, use nouns for developing the usable REST APIs. REST method can termed as a resource based in API development, which is why you need to work with resources and their collections in your application. The actions on the resources can be defined by some HTTP methods including GET, PUT, POST and so on.

5.        Resource Nesting to Display Hierarchy or Relations:

Resource objects frequently have some sorts of functional hierarchy that are connected to each other. It is usually a neat concept to bound the nesting to a specific level in REST API. As nested levels in bulk don’t look fine.

6.        Status Codes are Significant:

When designing a REST API, you need to interact with the API user by using HTTP Status Codes. There are 70+ status codes available that describe multiple possible responses. The KISS principle applies here too.

7.        Delicately Manage Trailing Slashes:

Whether a Uniform Resource Identifier should have a trailing is not something like an argument. You need to select one way with or without a trailing slash, stick to it and delicately redirect to the clients if used in the incorrect convention.

8.        Use the Query string for Filtering and Pagination:

Many times, a simple endpoint is not sufficient to fulfill complex business suits. Your users may want to find particulars that carry through a peculiar condition or retrieve them in small chunks at a time to perk up the performance. It can be done by filtering and pagination.

Hopefully, the above post helps you get some idea about building improved REST APIs. Stay tuned for more updates!