REST API Design: Best Practices That Actually Matter

Most API design guides focus on REST purity. This guide focuses on what actually matters in production.

Use HTTP Methods Correctly

This isn't about REST purity. It's about predictability:

GET    /users      - List users
GET    /users/123  - Get specific user
POST   /users      - Create user
PUT    /users/123  - Update user (full)
PATCH  /users/123  - Update user (partial)
DELETE /users/123  - Delete user

Stick to this pattern. Don't be clever.

Always Version Your API

From day one:

/api/v1/users

Changing APIs without versions breaks clients. Version from the start.

Use Consistent Response Formats

Pick a format and stick to it:

{
  "data": {...},
  "error": null,
  "meta": {
    "timestamp": "2025-12-12T10:00:00Z"
  }
}

Consistency matters more than the specific format you choose.

Handle Errors Properly

Return proper HTTP status codes:

200: Success
201: Created
400: Bad request (client error)
401: Unauthorized
404: Not found
500: Server error

And include helpful error messages:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
    "message": "Email is required",
    "field": "email"
  }
}

Pagination is Not Optional

Don't return 10,000 records. Always paginate:

GET /users?page=2&limit=20

Return pagination metadata:

{
  "data": [...],
  "meta": {
    "page": 2,
    "limit": 20,
    "total": 500,
    "hasMore": true
  }
}

Use Query Parameters for Filtering

GET /users?role=admin&status=active&sort=-createdAt

Clean, predictable, and works with HTTP caching.

Authentication Done Right

Use Bearer tokens in headers:

Authorization: Bearer <token>

Don't put auth tokens in URLs. They get logged everywhere.

Rate Limiting is Essential

Protect your API:

X-RateLimit-Limit: 1000
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 999
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1640000000

Return 429 (Too Many Requests) when exceeded.

Documentation is Not Optional

Use OpenAPI/Swagger. Auto-generate docs from code when possible.

No one will use your API if they can't figure it out.

Key Takeaways

Be consistent above all else
Version from day one
Handle errors properly
Always paginate
Document everything
Rate limit everything

Good API design is boring. That's the point. Boring is predictable. Predictable is good.