REST API Design Best Practices: Build APIs Developers Love
Learn the principles of good REST API design including naming conventions, error handling, pagination, versioning, and authentication.
By RiseTop Team · May 2026 · 8 min read
A well-designed REST API is intuitive, consistent, and easy to use. Following established conventions reduces the learning curve for developers.
URL Naming Conventions
- Use nouns, not verbs: /users instead of /getUsers
- Use plural nouns: /users, /products, /orders
- Use kebab-case: /user-profiles, not /userProfiles
- Nest resources logically: /users/123/orders
HTTP Methods
| Method | Action | Idempotent |
|---|
| GET | Read resource | Yes |
| POST | Create resource | No |
| PUT | Full update | Yes |
| PATCH | Partial update | No |
| DELETE | Remove resource | Yes |
Error Handling
- Use proper HTTP status codes (400, 404, 500, etc.)
- Return structured error responses with code, message, and details
- Document all possible error responses
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use plural or singular nouns in URLs? +
Use plural nouns (/users, not /user). This is the REST convention and is more intuitive.
How should I handle API versioning? +
URL versioning (/v1/users) is the most common and visible approach. Header versioning is an alternative.
What authentication should I use? +
JWT for user authentication, API keys for service-to-service, and OAuth 2.0 for third-party access.