REST API Design: Best Practices & Principles

Published on September 11, 2025

Why Good API Design Matters

APIs are the backbone of modern web services. A well‑designed REST API improves developer experience, reduces bugs, and makes future extensions painless. Below are the core principles that guide robust API design.

1. Use Nouns, Not Verbs

Resources are nouns; HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) express actions. For example:

GET    /users            // list users
POST   /users            // create a new user
GET    /users/123        // retrieve user 123
PUT    /users/123        // replace user 123
PATCH  /users/123        // partially update user 123
DELETE /users/123        // delete user 123

2. Consistent Naming Conventions

• Use plural nouns for collections.
• Separate words with hyphens or underscores, never camelCase in URLs.
• Keep URLs lowercase.

3. Leverage HTTP Status Codes

Let the protocol do the heavy lifting. Return precise codes:

4. Pagination, Filtering, & Sorting

Never return massive result sets. Use query parameters:

GET /products?limit=20&page=3&sort=price_desc&category=electronics

Include pagination metadata in the response body or via Link headers.

5. HATEOAS (Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State)

Provide navigational links in responses to guide clients:

{
  "id": 42,
  "name": "Acme Widget",
  "price": 19.99,
  "_links": {
    "self": { "href": "/products/42" },
    "reviews": { "href": "/products/42/reviews" },
    "related": { "href": "/products?category=widgets" }
  }
}

6. Version Your API

Never break existing clients. Prefix the version in the URL:

/v1/users
/v2/users

7. Secure Your Endpoints

• Use HTTPS exclusively.
• Prefer token‑based authentication (e.g., JWT).
• Validate input on the server side.

Conclusion

Designing a RESTful API is as much about consistency and clarity as it is about technical choices. Follow these guidelines, iterate based on feedback, and your API will stand the test of time.