foundation-api-design

REST API design requires implementing secure authentication mechanisms like JWT or OAuth2, combined with rate limiting to control traffic and prevent abuse. This Skill provides execution-ready patterns for structuring endpoints, versioning strategies, and standardized error handling to ensure production-grade security and scalability.

REST emphasizes resource-based endpoints and stateless operations; GraphQL enables flexible client queries with schema-driven validation; gRPC optimizes internal microservices with high-performance binary protocols. This Skill covers multi-style API design patterns so you can choose the right approach for your integration needs.

OpenAPI/Swagger specifications generate interactive API documentation and client SDKs automatically from your API definition. This Skill demonstrates how to create and maintain OpenAPI specs that ensure clarity, consistency, and ease of use for developers integrating with your APIs.

Production APIs typically use JWT tokens for stateless authentication or OAuth2 for delegated authorization. This Skill covers secure authentication implementation patterns, token management, and integration strategies to protect your APIs from unauthorized access.

Pagination manages large datasets by returning limited result sets with offset or cursor-based navigation; standardized error handling ensures consistent, informative responses. This Skill provides comprehensive patterns for both, reducing integration friction and improving API usability.