10 REST API BEST PRACTICES

1. Use descriptive and meaningful resource names-
   Instead of generic or ambiguous names, choose resource names that accurately represent the entities they represent.
   

2. Use HTTP methods correctly-
   Use the appropriate HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, etc.) for different operations.
   

3. Version your APIs-
   Use versioning to ensure backward compatibility and allow for future enhancements without breaking existing clients.
   

4. Use HTTP status codes correctly-
   Return the appropriate HTTP status codes to indicate the success or failure of an API request.
   

5. Pick your JSON field naming convention (and stick to it)-
   JSON standard doesn't impose a field naming convention, but it's a best practice to pick one and stick with it.
   

6. Use consistent error messages-
   In most cases, HTTP status codes are not enough to explain what went wrong.
   To help your API consumers, include a structured JSON error message.
   The response should include the following information-

• Error code: A machine-readable error code that identifies the specific error condition.
• Error message: A human-readable message that provides a detailed explanation of the error.
• Error context: Additional information related to the error, such as the request ID, the request parameters that caused the error, or the field(s) in the request that caused the error.
• Error links: URLs to resources or documentation that provide additional information about the error and how it can be resolved.
• Timestamp: The time when the error occurred.

7. Use query parameters for filtering, sorting, and searching-
   Query parameters allow you to provide additional information in the URL of an HTTP request to control the response returned by the server.
   

8. Implement authentication and authorization-
   Secure your APIs by implementing proper authentication and authorization mechanisms.

• =>USE API KEYS, TOKENS, OR OAUTH 2.0 FOR AUTHENTICATION

• =>APPLY ROLE-BASED ACCESS CONTROL (RBAC) FOR AUTHORIZATION

9. Do not maintain state-

• A REST API should not maintain a state on the server. That's the responsibility of the client.

• This is important because it allows for the API to be cacheable, scalable, and decoupled from the client.

• For example, an e-commerce API might use cookies to maintain the state of a shopping cart. However, such an approach violates key the key principle of RESTful APIs --- they need to be stateless.

10. Document your APIs-
    Provide comprehensive documentation for your APIs, including endpoint details, request/response examples, and usage guidelines .