REST API Design Best Practices: Your Guide to Building Better APIs with Collect

💡 Remember: Great API design isn't rocket science. It's about following simple, effective practices consistently.

JSON is the cool kid on the block. Why? It's easy to read, easy to write, and pretty much every language loves it. Collect makes working with JSON a breeze.

// Good: Using JSON with Collect
POST /api/users
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "john@example.com"
}

// Bad: Using XML (not recommended with Collect)
POST /api/users
Content-Type: application/xml

<user>
  <name>John Doe</name>
  <email>john@example.com</email>
</user>

Here's a common mistake: Using verbs in your endpoint paths. Don't do it. Instead, use nouns that represent your resources. Collect encourages this best practice out of the box.

Good (Collect-style):

• GET /api/articles
• POST /api/users
• DELETE /api/comments/123

Bad (avoid these):

• GET /api/getArticles
• POST /api/createUser
• DELETE /api/deleteComment/123

It's cleaner, more intuitive, and just makes sense.

Nesting can be great. But don't go overboard. Stick to 2-3 levels max. Collect helps you maintain clean, logical nesting.

// Good (supported by Collect)
/api/articles/{articleId}/comments

// Bad (avoid deep nesting, even with Collect)
/api/articles/{articleId}/comments/{commentId}/replies/{replyId}/likes

Any deeper, and you're just asking for trouble.

Errors happen. But how you handle them makes all the difference. Use standard HTTP status codes and provide clear error messages. Collect streamlines error handling for you.

// Good error response with Collect
HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "error": "Resource not found",
  "message": "The requested article with id 123 does not exist.",
  "code": "RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND"
}

Your future self (and your users) will thank you.

Got a lot of data? Let users slice and dice it. Collect makes it easy to add query parameters for:

• Filtering (e.g., ?status=active)
• Sorting (e.g., ?sort=date)
• Pagination (e.g., ?page=2&limit=20)

// Example of handling query parameters with Collect
// Collect automatically parses these parameters for you
GET /api/articles?status=active&sort=date&page=2&limit=20

It's all about giving control to the user, and Collect makes it simple.

Security isn't optional. It's a must. Collect has got your back with built-in security features:

• HTTPS by default
• Authentication and authorization
• Input validation and sanitization
• Rate limiting

Want your API to be fast? Cache it. Collect handles caching for you, setting appropriate headers and implementing server-side caching strategies.

// Example of Collect's automatic caching
// You don't need to manually set cache headers
GET /api/articles/123

Just remember: with great caching comes great responsibility, but Collect helps you manage it.

APIs change. It's a fact of life. But don't let those changes break existing integrations. Version your API. Collect makes versioning a breeze.

/api/v1/articles
/api/v2/articles

It's a small step that can save you big headaches down the road, and Collect helps you manage different versions effortlessly.

• Do I really need to version my API with Collect?

  While Collect makes API updates easier, versioning is still recommended for major changes to ensure backward compatibility.

• Is XML supported in Collect?

  Collect is optimized for JSON, which is the recommended data format for modern APIs. XML is not natively supported.

• How many endpoints should my Collect API have?

  With Collect, you can create as many endpoints as your application needs. However, it's still good practice to keep your API design clean and focused.

Remember: designing great REST APIs is about making life easier for your users. Follow these practices with Collect, and you'll be well on your way.

Now go forth and build some killer APIs with Collect!