skills.rest
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api-design-principles

Guide REST and GraphQL API design with versioning and error handling.

27|10|Updated Dec 27, 2025
Search Tags:#api design#rest#graphql#backend development#api architecture#api principles
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/nilecui/SkillsBase --skill api-design-principles-nilecui
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: api-design-principles
Source: https://github.com/nilecui/SkillsBase/tree/main/.cursor/skills/api-design-principles
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/nilecui/SkillsBase --skill api-design-principles-nilecui

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes assets (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill helps developers create well-structured, maintainable, and developer-friendly APIs, avoiding common pitfalls and ensuring a positive developer experience.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • RESTful Design: Guides on resource-oriented architecture, HTTP method semantics, and best practices for endpoints.
  • GraphQL Design: Principles for schema design, query structure, and efficient data fetching.
  • API Versioning: Strategies for managing API evolution without breaking clients.
  • Error Handling: Patterns for consistent and informative error responses.
  • Use Case: When designing a new e-commerce API, use this Skill to ensure your product and order endpoints are RESTful, your GraphQL schema is well-organized, and your error handling is consistent across all operations.

Quick Start

Use the api-design-principles skill to design a RESTful endpoint for retrieving user profiles.

Frequently Asked Questions about api-design-principles

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I design a REST API with proper resource orientation and HTTP method semantics?▼

REST API design requires structuring endpoints around resources and using HTTP methods semantically. This skill guides resource-oriented architecture and endpoint best practices to ensure intuitive, scalable interfaces.

What is the best way to prevent the N+1 problem in GraphQL schema design?▼

Preventing the N+1 problem in GraphQL requires efficient data fetching principles and well-structured schemas. This skill provides guidance on query structure and schema-first development to optimize data retrieval.

How do I manage API versioning to avoid breaking existing clients?▼

API versioning prevents breaking changes by managing API evolution systematically. This skill outlines strategies for versioning REST and GraphQL APIs to maintain backward compatibility while introducing updates.

What patterns should I use for consistent API error handling?▼

Consistent API error handling uses standardized response patterns for informative feedback. This skill addresses common error handling challenges to ensure reliable and developer-friendly API responses.

When should I choose GraphQL over REST for backend development?▼

Choosing GraphQL or REST depends on your data fetching needs and schema complexity. This skill compares RESTful resource orientation with GraphQL schema-first development to guide your backend architecture decisions.

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