REST API Design: Best Practices for 2024

Well-designed APIs are a joy to use. Here are the patterns that make APIs intuitive, consistent, and performant.

URL Structure

Resource Naming

Use nouns, not verbs:

# Good
GET /users
GET /users/123
GET /users/123/posts
Bad
GET /getUsers
GET /getUserById/123

Plural Resources

Always use plural nouns:

GET /products      # List products
POST /products     # Create product
GET /products/123  # Get single product

HTTP Methods

Use methods correctly:

• GET - Retrieve resources (idempotent)
• POST - Create resources
• PUT - Replace resources (idempotent)
• PATCH - Partial update
• DELETE - Remove resources (idempotent)

Response Format

Consistent Structure

{
  "data": {
    "id": "123",
    "type": "user",
    "attributes": {
      "name": "John Doe",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    }
  },
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "abc-123"
  }
}

Error Responses

{
  "error": {
    "code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
    "message": "Invalid input",
    "details": [
      {
        "field": "email",
        "message": "Invalid email format"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Pagination

Cursor-Based (Preferred)

GET /posts?limit=20&cursor=eyJpZCI6MTIzfQ

Offset-Based

GET /posts?limit=20&offset=40

Filtering and Sorting

GET /products?category=electronics&price_min=100&sort=-created_at

Versioning

Include version in URL or header:

GET /v1/users
or
Accept: application/vnd.api+json; version=1

Rate Limiting

Include headers:

X-RateLimit-Limit: 1000
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 999
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1640995200

Documentation

Great API docs include:

• Authentication guide
• Quick start examples
• Endpoint reference
• Error code dictionary
• SDKs and code samples

Conclusion

Great APIs follow consistent patterns. Invest time in design upfront—your API consumers will thank you.