REST API Design Rulebook

Book excerpt: In todayâ??s market, where rival web services compete for attention, a well-designed REST API is a must-have feature. This concise book presents a set of API design rules, drawn primarily from best practices that stick close to the Webâ??s REST architectural style. Along with rules for URI design and HTTP use, youâ??ll learn guidelines for media types and representational forms. REST APIs are ubiquitous, but few of them follow a consistent design methodology. Using these simple rules, you will design web service APIs that adhere to recognized web standards. To assist you, author Mark Massé introduces the Web Resource Modeling Language (WRML), a conceptual framework he created for the design and implementation of REST APIs. Learn design rules for addressing resources with URIs Apply design principles to HTTPâ??s request methods and response status codes Work with guidelines for conveying metadata through HTTP headers and media types Get design tips to address the needs of client programs, including the special needs of browser-based JavaScript clients Understand why REST APIs should be designed and configured, not coded