API Patterns

API design principles and decision-making for 2025. Learn to THINK, not copy fixed patterns.

🎯 Selective Reading Rule

📑 Content Map

api-style.md

rest.md

response.md

graphql.md

trpc.md

versioning.md

auth.md

rate-limiting.md

documentation.md

security-testing.md

🔗 Related Skills

@[skills/backend-development]

@[skills/database-design]

@[skills/security-hardening]

✅ Decision Checklist

• Asked user about API consumers?
• Chosen API style for THIS context? (REST/GraphQL/tRPC)
• Defined consistent response format?
• Planned versioning strategy?
• Considered authentication needs?
• Planned rate limiting?
• Documentation approach defined?

❌ Anti-Patterns

• Default to REST for everything
• Use verbs in REST endpoints (/getUsers)
• Return inconsistent response formats
• Expose internal errors to clients
• Skip rate limiting

• Choose API style based on context
• Ask about client requirements
• Document thoroughly
• Use appropriate status codes

Script

scripts/api_validator.py

python scripts/api_validator.py <project_path>