api-design

Included with Lifetime

$97 forever

Guides REST and GraphQL API design, including endpoints, error handling, versioning, and documentation. Use when designing APIs, creating endpoints, or when asked about API patterns.

Design

What this skill does


# API Design Skill

## REST API Design Principles

### URL Structure
```
# Resource-based URLs (nouns, not verbs)
GET    /users              # List users
GET    /users/:id          # Get user
POST   /users              # Create user
PUT    /users/:id          # Replace user
PATCH  /users/:id          # Update user
DELETE /users/:id          # Delete user

# Nested resources
GET    /users/:id/orders   # User's orders
POST   /users/:id/orders   # Create order for user

# Query parameters for filtering/pagination
GET    /users?role=admin&status=active
GET    /users?page=2&limit=20&sort=-createdAt
```

### HTTP Status Codes
| Code | Meaning | Use Case |
|------|---------|----------|
| 200 | OK | Successful GET, PUT, PATCH |
| 201 | Created | Successful POST |
| 204 | No Content | Successful DELETE |
| 400 | Bad Request | Invalid input |
| 401 | Unauthorized | Missing/invalid auth |
| 403 | Forbidden | Valid auth, no permission |
| 404 | Not Found | Resource doesn't exist |
| 409 | Conflict | Duplicate, state conflict |
| 422 | Unprocessable | Validation failed |
| 429 | Too Many Requests | Rate limited |
| 500 | Internal Error | Server error |

### Response Formats

#### Success Response
```json
{
  "data": {
    "id": "123",
    "type": "user",
    "attributes": {
      "name": "John Doe",
      "email": "[email protected]"
    }
  },
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "abc-123"
  }
}
```

#### List Response with Pagination
```json
{
  "data": [...],
  "meta": {
    "total": 100,
    "page": 1,
    "limit": 20,
    "totalPages": 5
  },
  "links": {
    "self": "/users?page=1",
    "next": "/users?page=2",
    "last": "/users?page=5"
  }
}
```

#### Error Response
```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
    "message": "Invalid input data",
    "details": [
      {
        "field": "email",
        "message": "Must be a valid email address"
      }
    ]
  },
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "abc-123",
    "timestamp": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z"
  }
}
```

## API Versioning

### URL Versioning (Recommended)
```
/api/v1/users
/api/v2/users
```

### Header Versioning
```
Accept: application/vnd.api+json; version=1
```

## Authentication Patterns

### JWT Bearer Token
```
Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs...
```

### API Key
```
X-API-Key: your-api-key
# or
?api_key=your-api-key
```

## Rate Limiting Headers
```
X-RateLimit-Limit: 100
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 95
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1609459200
Retry-After: 60
```

## OpenAPI Specification Template
```yaml
openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: API Name
  version: 1.0.0
  description: API description

servers:
  - url: https://api.example.com/v1

paths:
  /users:
    get:
      summary: List users
      parameters:
        - name: page
          in: query
          schema:
            type: integer
            default: 1
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Success
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/UserList'

components:
  schemas:
    User:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
        name:
          type: string
        email:
          type: string
          format: email
      required:
        - id
        - name
        - email

  securitySchemes:
    bearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      bearerFormat: JWT

security:
  - bearerAuth: []
```

## GraphQL Patterns

### Schema Design
```graphql
type Query {
  user(id: ID!): User
  users(filter: UserFilter, pagination: Pagination): UserConnection!
}

type Mutation {
  createUser(input: CreateUserInput!): UserPayload!
  updateUser(id: ID!, input: UpdateUserInput!): UserPayload!
}

type User {
  id: ID!
  name: String!
  email: String!
  orders(first: Int, after: String): OrderConnection!
}

input CreateUserInput {
  name: String!
  email: String!
}

type UserPayload {
  user: User
  errors: [Error!]
}
```

## API Security Checklist
- [ ] HTTPS only
- [ ] Authentication on all endpoints
- [ ] Authorization checks
- [ ] Input validation
- [ ] Rate limiting
- [ ] Request size limits
- [ ] CORS properly configured
- [ ] No sensitive data in URLs
- [ ] Audit logging

Files: 1

Size: 4.3 KB

Complexity: 8/100

Category: Design

Source: https://github.com/ordinaldragons/ultimate-workflow/tree/main/skills/api-design

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