Master the Art of API Endpoint Naming: Tried and Tested Strategies for Success
Learn the secrets to creating clear, intuitive, and developer-friendly API endpoints that your team will love.
Naming API endpoints plays a crucial role in creating an API that’s both intuitive and easy to maintain. Clear and consistent names not only simplify the developer experience but also speed up onboarding and help minimize mistakes.
In this post, we’ll dive into the best practices for naming API endpoints, highlight common mistakes to avoid, and explore practical examples to give you a clearer understanding.
1. HTTP Methods to Define Actions
When designing APIs, use HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to define the operation being performed. The endpoint name should focus solely on the resource being acted upon.
Common Use Cases:
• GET: Retrieve data.
• POST: Create new data.
• PUT/PATCH: Update existing data; PUT for full entity update, PATCH for partial.
• DELETE: Remove data.
Why This Matters
Since HTTP methods already specify what is happening, embedding actions (e.g. "create", "delete") in endpoint names is redundant.
Examples
GET /inventory – Retrieve all inventory items.POST /inventory – Add a new inventory item.DELETE /inventory/{id} – Remove a specific inventory item.GET /books – Fetch all books.PUT /books/{id} – Update book details.DELETE /books/{id} – Delete a book.Common Mistakes
• Adding the action to the path (e.g., /addUser, /deleteBook).
• Using POST for non-creation actions like retrieving data.
Tip: Keep paths simple and let HTTP methods indicate the action.
2. Use Plural Names
When naming endpoints, always use plural nouns to represent collections of resources. For a single resource, use the plural noun for the collection followed by the unique identifier of the specific resource. This approach maintains consistency and avoids confusion.
• Collection: /users (represents a collection of all users).
• Single Resource: /users/{id} (represents a specific user identified by their unique ID).
Why This Matters
Using plural names for collections follows RESTful conventions. It adds predictability to your API design. In this way, developers can immediately understand whether they're interacting with a collection or a single resource, based on the structure of the URL.
Examples
/products (collection of products), /products/{id} (specific product)./employees (all employees), /employees/{id} (a specific employee).Common Mistakes
• Using singular forms for collections: for example, naming the collection endpoint as /order instead of /orders.
• Inconsistent naming: using /users for collections but /user/{id} for a single resource.
• Adding redundant prefixes: using /allUsers instead of just /users for a collection.
Tip: Always think of your API endpoints as describing a collection of objects (plural) or accessing one specific object from that collection. Consistency here eliminates guesswork for developers using your API.
3. Design Logical Hierarchical Structures
Relationships between resources should be reflected in hierarchical structures. There should be a clear and logical representation of these relationships.
• Correct: /users/{id}/orders (orders belonging to a specific user).
• Incorrect: /userOrders/{id} or /ordersByUser.
Why This Matters
Hierarchical structures make APIs more intuitive and allow developers to see how resources relate to each other.
GET /projects/{id}/tasks – Retrieve tasks for a project.POST /projects/{id}/tasks – Create a new task within a project.GET /forums/{id}/threads – Retrieve threads in a forum.GET /forums/{id}/threads/{threadId}/comments – Retrieve comments for a thread.Common Mistakes
• Flattening relationships (e.g., /allUserOrders).
• Creating non-descriptive relationships (e.g., /orderDetailsForUser).
Tip: Use a cascading structure to represent parent-child relationships.
4. Version Your API
Versioning is a critical aspect of API design that ensures backward compatibility while allowing you to introduce new features or make changes without disrupting existing clients.
Including a version number in your API paths helps you manage updates effectively and avoids breaking functionality for users relying on older versions.
• Correct: /v1/products (explicit versioning).
• Incorrect: /products (no versioning, which can cause issues when changes are introduced).
Why This Matters
APIs change over time. Without versioning, clients using your API can be disrupted when you introduce disruptive changes (such as changing response formats, removing fields, or changing endpoint behaviour). By versioning your API, you create a predictable framework for updates. You also signal to developers when they need to migrate to a newer version.
Examples
/v1/products – Retrieve a list of products in version 1./v2/products – New version with updated fields or behavior.Common Mistakes
• Omitting versioning altogether: this makes it difficult to make changes later without breaking existing clients.
• Using inconsistent version formats: switching between formats like /v1, /version1, or using version numbers in non-standard places.
• Introducing breaking changes in the same version: this defeats the purpose of versioning and frustrates developers relying on stable behavior.
5. Query Parameters for URI Collection Actions
Instead of embedding filters directly in the endpoint path, use query parameters to describe additional operations like filtering, sorting, or searching. This keeps the endpoints clean and flexible while allowing for more dynamic interactions.
• Correct: GET /users?status=active (filter users by status).
• Incorrect: GET /users/active (action embedded in the path).
Why This Matters
Your API is more versatile and easier to extend when you use query parameters. You can use query parameters to dynamically define behavior rather than creating new endpoints for each filtering or sorting requirement.
Examples
GET /orders?status=shipped&date=2025-01-01 – Retrieve all shipped orders on a specific date.GET /events?sort=name&order=asc – Retrieve events sorted alphabetically in ascending order.GET /users?search=john – Search for users with the name “John”.GET /posts?page=2&limit=10 – Retrieve the second page of posts, with 10 posts per page.Common Mistakes
• Hardcoding filters or actions in the path: for example, creating separate endpoints like /products/electronics or /users/active, which can lead to endpoint bloat and maintenance issues.
• Using vague or inconsistent query parameter names: for example, using /users?filter=active in one endpoint and /users?status=active in another, which can confuse API consumers.
• Combining multiple filters or operations into the path: for instance, /users/active/sort-by-age is overly complex and less flexible compared to /users?status=active&sort=age.
Tip: Think of querying parameters as a way to extend your API's functionality without cluttering it up. A well-designed system of query parameters will make your API powerful and flexible while still remaining intuitive to use.
Conclusion
By following these best practices, you will be able to create APIs that are intuitive, consistent, and easy to use. Naming conventions play an important role in API design. They reduce confusion and make integration seamless for developers.
To ensure your API meets both technical and user expectations, consider hierarchy, consistency, and clarity.