skills.rest
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api-design

Design REST API patterns for naming, status codes, pagination, and versioning.

Updated Mar 31, 2026
Search Tags:#versioning#security#rest#patterns#errors#pagination#api-design
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/BuildSmarterAI/claude-skills --skill api-design-buildsmarterai
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: api-design
Source: https://github.com/BuildSmarterAI/claude-skills/tree/main/api-design
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/BuildSmarterAI/claude-skills --skill api-design-buildsmarterai

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

REST APIs often suffer from inconsistent naming, varied status codes, and ad-hoc pagination, creating integration pain and maintenance costs. This Skill codifies a set of patterns for resource naming, status handling, pagination, filtering, error responses, versioning, and rate limiting to enable cohesive, scalable APIs.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Consistent resource naming, pluralization, and URL structure across services.
  • Comprehensive pagination, filtering, sorting, and search strategies with clear guidance.
  • Standardized error formats, authentication/authorization patterns, and rate-limiting guidelines.
  • Use cases include designing new endpoints, auditing existing contracts, and planning multi-version API strategies.

Quick Start

Create or review REST API designs following the patterns described to ensure consistent naming, responses, and versioning across services.

Frequently Asked Questions about api-design

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I design REST API pagination and filtering for scalable services?▼

REST API pagination and filtering can be designed using standardized strategies like cursor or offset pagination to ensure scalable data retrieval. This approach provides clear guidance for consistent sorting and search across large resource collections.

What are the best REST API error handling patterns and status codes?▼

The best REST API error handling patterns use semantic HTTP status codes and structured error response formats. Standardized error responses ensure consistent integration across services and reduce maintenance costs.

How do I plan API versioning strategies across modern stacks like FastAPI and Next.js?▼

API versioning strategies across stacks like FastAPI and Next.js can be planned by applying consistent versioning patterns to existing contracts. This enables cohesive multi-version API management without breaking integrations.

Can I use these REST API design patterns with Django REST Framework and Go?▼

Yes, these REST API design patterns apply directly to modern stacks including Django REST Framework and Go. They provide stack-agnostic rules for resource naming, authentication, and rate limiting suitable for production APIs.

What should consistent REST API resource naming and URL structure look like?▼

Consistent REST API resource naming and URL structure should use standardized pluralization and logical hierarchy across services. Applying these conventions prevents integration pain and ensures cohesive endpoint contracts.

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