Creating Usable REST APIs

Today’s programmers interact with many HTTP services on a day-to-day basis. Many services claim to have a “RESTful” API, but fail to implement the basic requirements of REST. Twilio’s Kyle Conroy will discuss best practices for API design, and then refactor an existing API to be more RESTful.

Transcript

1. REST APIs Creating Useable kyle@twilio.com @kyle_conroy
2. REST APIs Creating Useable kyle@twilio.com @kyle_conroy
3. twilio
5. REST
8. REST APIs Creating Useable
9. REST APIs Creating Useable
10. HYPERMEDIA APIs Creating Useable
11. Level 0: The Swamp of POX Level 1: Resources Level 2: HTTP Verbs Level 3: Hypermedia Controls
12. FROM ZER0 TO HERO API Enlightenment
13. POX
14. one url one method no hypermedia controls HYPERMEDIA
15. Quivr http://github.com/derferman/quivr
16. one url two methods no hypermedia controls
17. docs
18. Level 1 RESOURCES
19. /services/rest?method=flickr.photos.getRecent /services/rest?method=flickr.photos.getInfo /services/rest?method=flickr.photos.getSizes /services/rest?method=flickr.photos.getFavorites
20. /photos /photos/:id /photos/:id/sizes /photos/:id/favorites
21. code
22. Level 2 HTTP VERBS
23. POST /rest?method=flickr.photos.delete POST /rest?method=flickr.photos.setTags
24. DELETE /photos/:id POST /photos/:id
25. code
26. Level 3 HYPERMEDIA CONTROLS
27. (links)
28. code
29. ?
30. COOL URLS DON’T CHANGE
31. Resources Embrace HTTP Hypermedia Controls
32. Photo credits http://www.flickr.com/photos/ surfergirl30/6085004536/ http://www.uci.edu/features/2009/12/images/ fielding_091021_01_hxp_a472x315.jpg http://www.flickr.com/photos/locosteve/4349003896 http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelove/2526016742 http://www.sxc.hu/photo/923625