api-and-interface-design

Contract-first API design defines interfaces before implementation to prevent breaking changes and coupling. You need it when architecting new REST endpoints or defining internal Go service module contracts to ensure system maintainability and stable consumption.

Standardize API error handling by applying consistent error semantics and boundary validation patterns across your REST and GraphQL services. This ensures uniform response structures, minimizing inconsistent error handling pitfalls and improving overall developer experience.

Design backward-compatible APIs by reviewing contracts against Hyrum's Law and applying interface design patterns. This standardizes documentation and evolution, ensuring stable, scalable, and robust interfaces that minimize breaking changes and system coupling.

Yes, this approach works for internal module contracts in Go-based architectures. It standardizes the design and documentation of internal interfaces, applying boundary validation and consistent error semantics to minimize coupling between internal services.

The best way to review an existing API contract is to evaluate it against Hyrum's Law and established interface design patterns. This identifies implicit dependencies, standardizes error semantics, and ensures backward-compatible evolution to minimize breaking changes.