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API Design Principles

Master plan for designing robust and developer-friendly REST and GraphQL APIs. This skill provides systematic guidance for API architecture, versioning strategies, and best practices that ensure consistency, scalability, and excellent developer experience.

Status​

Master Plan Available

Key Topics​

  • REST API Design

    • Resource naming conventions and URI structure
    • HTTP method selection (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE)
    • Status code usage and error response patterns
    • Pagination, filtering, and sorting strategies
    • HATEOAS and API discoverability

  • GraphQL API Design

    • Schema design and type system
    • Query and mutation patterns
    • Resolver optimization and N+1 query prevention
    • Subscription design for real-time updates
    • Error handling and partial responses

  • API Versioning

    • Versioning strategies (URL, header, content negotiation)
    • Deprecation policies and migration paths
    • Backward compatibility considerations
    • Semantic versioning for APIs

  • Authentication & Authorization

    • OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect patterns
    • API key management
    • JWT token design and validation
    • Rate limiting and throttling

  • API Documentation

    • OpenAPI/Swagger specification
    • GraphQL schema documentation
    • Interactive API explorers
    • Code examples and SDKs

Primary Tools & Technologies​

  • REST Frameworks: Express.js, FastAPI, Django REST Framework, Spring Boot
  • GraphQL Tools: Apollo Server, GraphQL Yoga, Hasura
  • Documentation: Swagger/OpenAPI, GraphQL Playground, Postman
  • Validation: JSON Schema, Zod, Joi, GraphQL type system
  • Testing: Postman, Insomnia, REST Client, GraphQL testing libraries

Integration Points​

  • SDK Design: APIs are consumed through SDKs
  • Documentation Generation: Auto-generate API docs from code
  • Building CLIs: CLIs often interact with APIs
  • Debugging Techniques: API debugging and tracing
  • Git Workflows: API versioning and change management
  • Backend development patterns
  • Database schema design
  • Microservices architecture
  • Security best practices
  • Performance optimization

Implementation Approach​

The skill will provide:

  • Decision frameworks for REST vs GraphQL selection
  • API design templates and boilerplates
  • Validation scripts for API consistency
  • OpenAPI/GraphQL schema generators
  • Testing strategy templates