Building a well-designed REST API is crucial for modern web applications. This article covers the best practices for designing RESTful APIs that are scalable and maintainable.

Naming Conventions

Use nouns for resources, not verbs:

• Good: /api/users, /api/products
• Bad: /api/getUsers, /api/createProduct

HTTP Methods

• GET: Retrieve data
• POST: Create new resources
• PUT: Update existing resources
• DELETE: Remove resources

Status Codes

Always use appropriate HTTP status codes:

• 200: OK
• 201: Created
• 400: Bad Request
• 404: Not Found
• 500: Internal Server Error

Following these guidelines will make your APIs easier to use and maintain.