API Design

Noun · Development

Definitions

  1. The process of defining how an API should be structured, named, versioned, and behave so it is consistent, usable, and maintainable. Good API design balances clarity, compatibility, performance, and error handling rather than exposing raw backend internals directly.

    In plain English: Planning how an API should work and be structured so developers can use it well.

    Example: "The team revisited the API design to make object IDs stable and stop overloading one endpoint with half a dozen unrelated behaviors."

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