REST API Design: 8 Best Practices for Clean APIs
Design APIs that developers love to use. These conventions make your APIs intuitive and maintainable.
A well-designed API is a joy to work with. Follow these best practices to create APIs that are intuitive, consistent, and easy to maintain.
1. Use Nouns for Resources
GET /users not GET /getUsers. HTTP methods already indicate the action - don't repeat it in the URL.
2. Use Plural Names
/users not /user. Even for a single resource: GET /users/123. It keeps URLs consistent.
3. Use HTTP Status Codes Correctly
200 for success, 201 for created, 400 for bad request, 404 for not found, 500 for server error. Don't return 200 with an error message in the body.
4. Version Your API
/api/v1/users allows you to make breaking changes without affecting existing clients. Start with v1 from day one.
5. Pagination for Lists
Never return all records. Use ?page=1&limit=20 or cursor-based pagination for large datasets.
6. Filter, Sort, and Search
Use query parameters: ?status=active&sort=-created_at&search=john. Prefix sort with minus for descending.
7. Consistent Error Format
Always return errors in the same structure: {"error": {"code": "VALIDATION_ERROR", "message": "Email is required"}}.
8. Use HATEOAS When Appropriate
Include links to related resources in responses. This makes APIs self-discoverable and reduces coupling between client and server.