Day 86 of 100daysofcode : REST API Pro Tips - Status Codes, Methods & Authentication
Essential REST API concepts every developer should know! Here’s your cheat sheet:
- HTTP Status Codes Matter
Success (200 OK, 201 Created)
Redirects (301 Moved Permanently)
Client errors (400 Bad Request, 401 Unauthorized, 404 Not Found)
Server errors (500 Internal Server Error)
Always return appropriate status codes for clear API responses!
- HTTP Methods = CRUD Operations
GET: Retrieve data (safe & idempotent)
POST: Create new resource (not idempotent)
PUT: Update entire resource
PATCH: Partial updates
DELETE: Remove resource
Use methods semantically!
- Authentication Essentials
API Keys: Simple but less secure (pass in headers)
JWT (Bearer Tokens): Stateless, self-contained tokens
OAuth2: Industry standard for delegated auth
Always use HTTPS for auth endpoints!
BONUS Best Practices
Use nouns for endpoints (/users, not /getUsers)
Version your API (/api/v1/resource)
Add rate limiting
Document with OpenAPI/Swagger
Handle errors gracefully with messages
What API tips would you add? Let’s level up together!
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