A crash course with infographics on what these mean, and when to use which one. Background One critical aspect of REST API development is the way in which clients make requests and receive responses. In this segment, I will cover the 3 main methods of making requests in REST APIs …

In general, web services have been in existence for just as long as the HTTP protocol has existed. But, since the advent of cloud computing, they have become the ubiquitous method of enabling client interaction with services and data. As a developer, I have been lucky enough to work with…

Background Arch diagrams are visual representations of how different components/services linked to an API interact with each other. These diagrams are super useful when needing to understand and communicate the architecture of an API to different stakeholders, including fellow developers, project managers, and clients. There are several types of diagrams/visuals, each…

Background Let’s just begin with acknowledging that API Versioning is tough business. Over the course of an API’s lifecycle, development teams can make all kinds of changes to it (enhancements, bug fixes, adding new capabilities, etc.). How would you determine whether a particular change will require a new API version? How…

In my previous segment, I shared some best practices on how to design effective REST APIs. A well-thought out design must also take into account the performance aspects of an API. Good design means little if the API does not perform as desired…

In the previous two segments, I shared some best practices on how to design and build performant REST APIs. An API that is well-designed and built for performance behaves and functions well in response to evolving customer and business requirements. However, security must also be a key forerunner when building…