skills.rest
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api-design-principles

Identify and codify REST and GraphQL API design best practices.

Updated Aug 27, 2026
Search Tags:#versioning#api design#rest#graphql#patterns#error-handling#pagination
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/tctibbs/agent-workflows --skill api-design-principles-tctibbs
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: api-design-principles
Source: https://github.com/tctibbs/agent-workflows/tree/main/claude/development/backend/skills/api-design-principles
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/tctibbs/agent-workflows --skill api-design-principles-tctibbs

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

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

What problem does it solve?

Teams designing APIs often struggle to establish consistent, scalable guidelines for REST and GraphQL, leading to fragmented implementations and poor developer experiences.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • REST Principles: resource-oriented endpoints, proper HTTP methods, consistent naming, and clear status codes.
  • GraphQL Guidance: schema-first design, strongly typed schemas, efficient resolvers, and pagination patterns.
  • Standards & Review: versioning strategies, error handling templates, documentation scaffolds, and review checklists for API specs.

Quick Start

Draft a REST/GraphQL design outline for your next API project following these principles.

Frequently Asked Questions about api-design-principles

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

FAQPage Schema
What are the best practices for REST API design to ensure scalability?▼

GraphQL API design requires a schema-first approach, strongly typed schemas, efficient resolvers, and structured pagination patterns to establish consistent, scalable guidelines across teams.

How do I handle error handling and versioning in API specifications?▼

Error handling and versioning in API specifications are managed through standardized error templates and strategic versioning guidelines, ensuring consistent API reviews and clear documentation scaffolds.

Can I use these API design principles for reviewing existing API specs?▼

These API design principles apply directly to reviewing existing API specifications, providing prescriptive checklists for REST patterns, GraphQL schemas, and data modeling to enforce team-wide standards.

What's the best way to structure pagination in REST and GraphQL APIs?▼

Pagination in REST and GraphQL APIs should follow established patterns like structured GraphQL pagination and consistent REST resource boundaries to ensure efficient data retrieval and scalable endpoints.

Why do I need prescriptive guidance for API data modeling and naming?▼

Prescriptive guidance for API data modeling and naming is needed to establish consistent, scalable guidelines across teams, avoiding fragmented implementations and ensuring a poor developer experience is prevented.

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