api-design

Choosing between REST, GraphQL, and gRPC for API design depends on your specific workload requirements and team capabilities. REST suits standard web services, GraphQL optimizes nested data fetching, and gRPC excels in high-performance internal microservices communication.

API security best practices involve implementing robust authentication, authorization, input validation, and rate limiting. Effective API security also requires threat modeling to protect endpoints from malicious traffic and ensure only authenticated clients access protected resources.

API versioning keeps web services evolvable by managing endpoint changes without breaking existing clients. Implementing API versioning involves applying standardized patterns that allow simultaneous support of multiple API iterations during gradual migrations.

Yes, this API design guidance applies to designing both new public and internal APIs. It enforces design fundamentals and security policies across diverse web services, ensuring scalable and maintainable interfaces regardless of exposure level.

You should evaluate WebSocket instead of HTTP for API endpoints when designing real-time, bidirectional communication interfaces. Considering HTTP versus WebSocket involves weighing connection persistence and latency requirements against standard request-response cycles for your web service.

API documentation and testing patterns should include clear endpoint definitions, security policies, and versioning strategies. Comprehensive API documentation ensures stable, evolvable interfaces by guiding consumers on correct implementation and validating expected behavior.