HATEOAS is, in essence, a value proposition and definition for what an API should do. HATEOAS, or Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State, is a specific constraint upon the REST architecture. For many, however, HATEOAS seems a nit-picky addition to the slew of API design best practices. Read more
While most developers are aware of Roy Fielding and REST, fewer may be aware of the Richardson Maturity Model. Though the Richardson Maturity Model is often considered more esoteric in comparison to its more famous compatriots, it can serve as a goalpost to achieving truly complete and useful APIs. Read more
In the months after the publication of Designing a True REST State Machine and the talk it was based on, there has been quite a bit of discussion and the questions posed should be addressed. While each could be responded to individually, perhaps they might be better served by writing everything up in a blog post. Read more
Web APIs are highly variable things – they can be custom-built, designed around a single purpose, all-encompassing, and almost everything in between. Shifting requirements dictate what the interface is comprised of. Due to this, it’s hard to find commonalities between APIs and their user-facing portals. Read more
Documentation will set you free – this is a mantra often delivered by experienced developers, and it bears repeating whenever the value of documentation is discussed. Simply put, documentation is perhaps one of the most important elements of effective API developer communication, second only to active demonstrations, tutorials, and other interactive systems. Read more
