Rest Api Design Guidelines Must Do Should Do May Do Must Not do And Should Not Do

Jun 22, 2024

When designing REST APIs, adhering to best practices and standards ensures that your APIs are easy to use, maintain, and scale. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the rules of REST API design categorized into “Must Do,” “Should Do,” “May Do,” “Must Not,” and “Should Not.”

Must Do

1. Use HTTP Methods Correctly:
   • GET for retrieving resources.
   • POST for creating resources.
   • PUT for updating or replacing resources.
   • DELETE for removing resources.
   • PATCH for partial updates to resources.
2. Use Meaningful URIs:
   • URIs should be clear and represent the resource hierarchy.
   • Example: /users/123 for a specific user resource.
3. Return Appropriate Status Codes:
   • 200 OK for successful GET, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE requests.
   • 201 Created for successful POST requests.
   • 204 No Content for successful DELETE requests.
   • 400 Bad Request for invalid requests.
   • 404 Not Found for non-existing resources.
   • 500 Internal Server Error for server-side errors.
4. Use Plural Nouns for Resource Names:
   • Example: /users instead of /user.
5. Version Your API:
   • Use versioning in URIs or headers.
   • Example: /v1/users or Accept: application/vnd.myapi.v1+json.
6. Document Your API:
   • Provide comprehensive and clear documentation.
   • Use tools like Swagger/OpenAPI for documentation.

Should Do

1. Use HTTPS:
   • Ensure secure communication by using HTTPS.
2. Implement Pagination, Filtering, and Sorting:
   • Allow clients to paginate large datasets.
   • Provide filtering options to refine results.
   • Enable sorting of results by different fields.
3. Provide Consistent and Descriptive Error Messages:
   • Include meaningful error messages and codes in responses.
   • Use a consistent error format.
4. Support HATEOAS:
   • Include hyperlinks in responses to guide clients on available actions.
   • Example: Provide links to related resources.
5. Use HTTP Headers Appropriately:
   • Utilize headers for metadata, such as Content-Type, Authorization, and Cache-Control.
6. Validate and Sanitize Input:
   • Ensure input data is validated and sanitized to prevent security vulnerabilities.

May Do

1. Use Caching:
   • Implement caching for GET requests to improve performance.
   • Use headers like ETag and Cache-Control.
2. Provide Rate Limiting:
   • Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse of the API.
3. Support Multiple Content Types:
   • Allow clients to request and receive data in different formats, such as JSON or XML.
4. Use Query Parameters for Optional Filters:
   • Use query parameters for optional data and filtering.
   • Example: /users?status=active.

Must Not

1. Use Actions or Verbs in URIs:
   • Avoid using verbs in URIs; use resource names instead.
   • Bad: /getUser or /updateUser.
   • Good: /users/{id}.
2. Break Backward Compatibility:
   • Avoid making changes that break existing clients.
   • Use versioning to introduce breaking changes.
3. Expose Internal Implementation Details:
   • Do not leak internal server or database details in the API.

Should Not

1. Use Long URIs:
   • Keep URIs concise and readable.
   • Avoid deeply nested resource URIs.
2. Return Sensitive Data:
   • Do not return sensitive information such as passwords or private user data.
3. Mix Resource Representations:
   • Ensure consistency in how resources are represented across different endpoints.
4. Overload HTTP Methods:
   • Do not misuse HTTP methods; follow their intended purpose.

Conclusion

Following these REST API design guidelines ensures that your APIs are robust, user-friendly, and maintainable. By adhering to the “Must Do” and “Should Do” rules, you ensure that your API is well-structured and secure. Considering the “May Do” suggestions can enhance functionality, while avoiding the “Must Not” and “Should Not” practices prevents common pitfalls and ensures a consistent and reliable API.