API & Interface Design

Create scalable, secure, and developer-friendly APIs that stand the test of time

Overview

Modern systems are defined by their interfaces. Whether you're building REST APIs, GraphQL endpoints, gRPC services, or webhook systems, thoughtful interface design determines whether developers can integrate quickly or struggle for weeks.

This section explores the principles and practices for designing APIs that:

Scale with growth while maintaining backward compatibility
Integrate easily with clear contracts and comprehensive documentation
Secure sensitive data through authentication and authorization strategies
Enable discovery through intuitive resource design and versioning
Support evolution without breaking existing consumers

Key Areas Covered

RESTful API Design: HTTP-first interfaces with resources, representations, and hypermedia
GraphQL: Query language approach to flexible data fetching
gRPC/RPC: High-performance binary protocols for internal communication
AsyncAPI: Event-driven and async communication patterns
Versioning Strategies: Managing breaking changes and deprecation
API Security: Authentication, authorization, scopes, and threat modeling
Webhooks: Pushing data to external systems reliably
API Governance: Standardization, lifecycle management, and API-first practices