Rizwan Saleem Posted on May 30 How to design APIs that developers love to use # webdev # frontend How to design APIs that developers love to use Practical API Design: REST, GraphQL, and gRPC Choose your API style based on requirements, not hype. REST is the safe default for public APIs, gRPC wins on performance for internal microservices, and GraphQL excels when clients need flexible, efficient data retrieval. Protocol Tradeoffs Dimension REST GraphQL gRPC Transport HTTP/1.1 HTTP/1.1 or HTTP/2 HTTP/2 Serialization JSON (typically) JSON Protocol Buffers (binary) Performance Slower; transfers excess data Faster for clients; only requested data Fastest; compact payloads + multiplexing Best Use Case Public APIs, simple web apps Complex frontend data needs Internal microservices, real-time streaming Learning Curve Low Medium (new concepts/syntax) Medium ( .proto files) Overhead Low for simple cases Higher for simple queries Low after setup Rule of thumb: REST: Great for simplicity and public APIs GraphQL: Use sparingly, mainly for frontend-driven projects with complex data needs gRPC: Best for high-performance, internal, or streaming APIs Naming Conventions Consistent naming makes APIs predictable and discoverable: Use plural nouns for collections : /users , /projects Use nouns, not verbs, in URLs : GET /users not GET /getUsers Lowercase with hyphens : /user-profiles , not /UserProfiles Nested resources show hierarchy : /users/{id}/projects Avoid verbs in paths ; use HTTP methods for actions: GET (retrieve), POST (create), PUT (replace), PATCH (partial update), DELETE Example: GET /v1/users # List users GET /v1/users/{id} # Get user POST /v1/users # Create user PATCH /v1/users/{id} # Update user fields DELETE /v1/users/{id} # Delete user Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Consistent Error Handling Return structured, informative errors with appropriate HTTP status codes: { "error" : { "code" : "VALIDATION_ERROR" , "message" : "Invalid email format" , "details" : [
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