api-patterns

Choosing an API design style involves evaluating REST, GraphQL, or tRPC based on project needs like public exposure, data complexity, and internal services. A decision tree captures these criteria to recommend the most suitable pattern.

API versioning and documentation best practices involve applying consistent error formats, versioning strategies, and structured documentation approaches. These patterns ensure interface stability and clear communication across development teams.

GraphQL suits complex data requirements better than REST when clients need flexible querying and aggregated responses. The decision tree evaluates data complexity and documentation needs to determine if GraphQL is the appropriate choice over REST.

tRPC works well for internal services where end-to-end type safety is prioritized over public exposure. The API pattern decision criteria assesses whether a project involves internal services or public APIs to recommend tRPC accordingly.

Implementing consistent API design patterns across teams requires documented best practices for error formats, pagination, and versioning. Applying these shared decision criteria ensures uniform interfaces and reduces engineering inconsistencies.