Unleashing best practices of Rest API development solution

API is considered a complete set of rules that decide the ways how applications and devices communicate and connect with each other. The various technical giants such as GitHub, Facebook and Netflix are making effective usage of Rest API. As API assist developers’ access to the data, it becomes more comfortable and easier for developers to work on Rest APIs. Rest APIs must be well-designed and optimized otherwise they can create many difficulties for developers. The main aim of developers is to enhance the user experience. This paved way for the Rest API best practices that are devised catering to the requirements of your business needs. In this blog, we are going to focus on the best practices of Rest API and several aspects of it.

What is known as Rest API?

Rest API is considered as an application programming interface which is generally accessed by HTTPS communication protocol. In order to have a proper concept of Rest API, one needs to understand the fundamental features that make it unique and effective.

Fundamental features of Rest API

Prior to delving deeper into the best practices, let’s take a glance at the characteristics of Rest API below:

Easily readable & seamless viewing

The professional developers can seamlessly work with a completely designed API, thereby making it easy to read. Developers can remember its resources and functions while working on it.

Difficult to misuse

As you implement and integrate your API with a clean and sharp design, it significantly diminishes the probability of writing the wrong code. Additionally, it administers essential feedback without commanding difficult instructions from the end customer.

Straightforward & point wise

The presence of a comprehensive API assists developers to make robust and scalable apps against any kind of data hazard. Therefore, many API developers take ample time to finish the entire project rather than creating on existing APIs.

It’s time to take a look at the different practices involved in REST API Development and the ways to follow them.

Read more: GraphQL Vs REST API: Major things you need to understand

Important practices to follow for REST API Development

Herein, we have given some proven methods that you need to follow for designing as well as developing robust Rest APIs.

Using JSON as a data format

JSON is the most commonly used data format among other formats. The syntax of JSON makes the data simple and easy to read for humans. It is quite easy to use offering easy data assessment and execution. Additionally, it comprises a complete array of supported browser compatibility.

Concise and clear documentation

It is important to clear and complete documentation as at times, documentation is created automatically based on API. The documentation should be simple so as remain understandable to people. It renders guides, engaging tutorials, and easily usable resources. Complete and clear documentation is necessary for assisting users to learn authentication, security and error management.

Error management prospects

Errors can be easily managed for eliminating any further complexities for API users. In this way, the nature of the error can be detected through HTTP response codes. The API management professionals have sufficient data to access the source and reason behind the error. Some fundamental API error codes include ‘401 Unauthorized’, ‘404 Not found’, ‘403 Forbidden’, ‘503 Service Unavailable’ and many more. API development

API versioning

The practice allows developers to make active changes in specific actions of data structure. With the help of API versioning, developers get the opportunity to create more enhancements as well as changes in their service besides holding a part of the API user’s profile. This makes it slow in making any kind of new changes. An API can become unstable and variable. However, one can never avoid the change; one should find different ways to deal with the change.

Complete API security enhancements

For the purpose of creating APIs, security frameworks such as SSL and TLS can be great choices. SSL certificates have the ability to create a secure connection by providing a private and public key. This encryption is necessary to ensure that you are safeguarding sensitive data such as financial and other important data.

The advanced rendition of SSL is TLS which is devised to offer improved protection and security. The two effective methods of testing involve penetrating testing and Fuzz testing. In penetrating testing, the test determines the exposure of APIs to a real cyber attack. It generally looks for any kind of susceptibilities that might get misused by hackers. However, in Fuzz testing, the test is beneficial for checking the way APIs react to the inessential input for searching for flaws in the code.

Subsequently, rate limiting has the potential to prevent DoS attacks where excessive requests ruin an API's basic functionality.

Enable data filtering & paging

Having a secure connection with API makes it easier for handling large databases. Showcasing the entire database can be a difficult task. REST API administers filtering, sorting, field selection, and paging options.

Effective optimization for human readers

Besides using JSON, one can utilize some other things to make it easier to understand as well as comprehend for human readers. Let’s take a look at the different ways it can be made clear:

• Using understandable naming systems with minimal abbreviations
• Creating easy-to-understand descriptions for standardized error codes and error management
• Using nouns for HTTP methods and collections.

Restricted resource nesting

Resource Nesting assists in pairing dual functions that share a similar hierarchy. Nesting is an effective practice for the important pairing of resources. Developers need to make the proper use of it, otherwise, overuse will diminish its appeal. It creates complex dependencies that a basic developer might get difficult to resolve. Using resource nesting effectively is one of the best practices for REST API development.

Using secured methods

There are multiple techniques of HTTP that helps in restoring the precise resource representation. Among the various strategies GET, TRACE, and OPTIONS are the various strategies that are regarded as relatively safe. The data can be retrieved without modifying the condition of resources on the server.

Cache data in frontend

There are some advantages of caching which involves that users are capable of receiving data more rapidly. The outdated data may get received by users.

Final considerations

After considering the various practices involved in REST API development, it can be well-concluded that the REST API development solution is absolutely safe and secured. By means of an effective API management platform, one can create successful APIs with expert knowledge of coding. Searching for REST API development solutions? Nextbrain is the leading Rest API development company in India that offers robust and highly scalable API development solutions to startups, organizations and enterprises. To know more about API development best practices, connect with experienced professionals.