You're reading from RESTful API Design Patterns and Best Practices Master REST API design with real-world patterns, lifecycle management, and OpenAPI practices

Product type Paperback

Published in Oct 2025

Publisher Packt

ISBN-13 9781835885284

Length 406 pages

Edition 1st Edition

Languages

JavaScript

Tools

.NET

Concepts

REST API

Authors (2):

Andrzej Jarzyna

Samir Amzani

View More author details

Table of Contents (20) Chapters

Preface

1. The Apprentice’s Study – Preparing for the Craft

2. The “Why” of API Development FREE CHAPTER

3. API as a Product: Designing APIs with a Product Mindset

4. Understanding Application and API Lifecycles

5. Applying Domain-Driven Design to APIs

6. The Wizard’s Grimoire – Mastering the Fundamentals of REST

7. Comparing and Choosing the Right API Style

8. REST Design Constraints and Maturity Models

9. Constructing an API Design Domain Model

10. Designing and Managing Effective API Contracts

11. The Archmage’s Circle – Forging and Evolving API Contracts

12. Understanding the OpenAPI Specification

13. OpenAPI as a Contract: Best Practices and Implementation

14. Using JSON Schema to Define Your Object Models

15. Don’t Hate Your Hypermedia: Creating APIs for Humans and AIs

16. API Change Management: Strategies for Versioning and Evolution

17. Unlock Your Book’s Exclusive Benefits

How to unlock these benefits in three easy steps

18. Other Books You May Enjoy

19. Index

Managing your API contracts

Managing API contracts effectively is vital for building a resilient, scalable, and secure API ecosystem. APIs are the backbone of digital transformation, enabling systems to interact seamlessly and facilitating innovation across industries. However, without proper management, the proliferation of APIs can lead to significant challenges, such as duplication, inconsistency, and security vulnerabilities.

Effective API contract management involves strategic governance, collaboration, and centralization to ensure that APIs remain assets rather than liabilities. It is not merely a technical task but a critical organizational capability that requires attention to detail, robust processes, and the right tools.

The challenge of API sprawl

One of the most significant risks of poor API contract management is API sprawl. This occurs when an organization creates numerous APIs without a centralized strategy or governance. Over time, these APIs grow into...