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REST API Design from Scratch

Name: REST API Design from Scratch
Rating: 4.3 (745 reviews)

API | REST API | REST Framework | API Design | Python Flask Essentials

Created byPraveenkumar Bouna

Last updated 8/2025

English

English [Auto],Spanish [Auto],

What you'll learn

Overview of RESTful APIs and its benefits. You will learn about RESTful API from scratch. You will know why you need to design an API.
Understanding the structure of a professionally written API. You will grasp the structure of it and become an expert in designing an API.
Step-by-step instructions for designing a RESTful API. You will learn to design a new API from scratch.
Design API resources and associations between them. Know how to design the resource including naming convention, relationship between APIs, etc.
Designing API operations. Master the ideal usage of HTTP GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and PATCH operations.
Design the API requests and responses for each of the common HTTP operations. Includes designing error message formats to follow in your projects.
Designing for filtering, pagination, and sorting.
Design API versioning methods that you can employ to track the changes you make to the APIs.
Lots of Downloadable PDFs: Designing RESTful API Quick Guide, HTTP Status Codes Cheat Sheet.
Practice assignments to apply your learning from this course. You will feel comfortable starting working on real-life projects.

Course content

12 sections • 95 lectures • 5h 15m total length

Welcome & About This Course2:55
You have taken the right decision by choosing this course to get started with OpenAPI! At the end of this lecture, you will have a good overview of how this course is organized and what to expect out of this course.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch", a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Download: Designing RESTful API Quick Guide0:18
Download the Designing RESTful API Quick Guide that you can use as a reference while designing an API.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Download: RESTful API Design Document Template0:15
Download the RESTful API Design Document that will be built throughout this course.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Download: Postman Collection File0:31
Join the Discord Community0:11
Join the official students’ Facebook group to get even more feedback and support!
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch", a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.

Introduction0:52
A quick overview of the topics you will learn in this section.
What is API?2:45
Know what is API and the part they play in the communication between client and server.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Why Should You Design API?3:50
Understand the key reasons behind why you should design APIs before implementing them.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 1: Create a New API4:45
1st step in designing a RESTful API from scratch.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Types of API3:54
Get to know the different types of API available and when each of them are applied while designing a REST API.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 2: Identify the Type of API1:14
2nd step in designing a RESTful API from scratch.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Should You Change the Existing API Design?2:59
What to be done when working on an existing API? Should you change its design or go with the flow?
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Getting Started with Designing APIs
Making the Case for API-First Design
Summary1:56
A quick recap of the topics you learned in this section and what is coming up next.

Introduction1:46
A quick overview of the topics you will learn in this section.
How HTTP Works?3:19
Know how a basic HTTP request-response cycle works.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Parts of a HTTP Request7:16
Understand the different parts of a typical HTTP request between client and the server.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Demo: Parts of a HTTP Request4:49
Get hands-on about the different parts of a HTTP request.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
What is REST?4:12
Understand what is the REST principle all about along with its need, usage and application.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Demo: API in Postman8:18
Get hands-on about the API usage in the Postman tool used for designing APIs.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
URL vs URI3:22
Understand the difference between URL and URI while designing APIs.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 3: Identify the Server Base URL3:06
3rd step in designing a RESTful API from scratch - identify the server base URL for your REST API.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Overview of RESTful APIs
Summary2:50
A quick recap of the topics you learned in this section and what is coming up next.

Introduction1:46
A quick overview of the topics you will learn in this section.
Resources should be Nouns3:31
Know why the resources should be designed as nouns.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 4: Identify the Resources1:44
4th step in designing a RESTful API from scratch - identify the resources for your REST API.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Resources should be Collections4:03
Know why the resources should be designed as collections as part of REST API design.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 5: Have the Resources as Plural2:04
5th step in designing a RESTful API from scratch - make sure to have your resources in plural form.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 6: Define the Resource Models2:50
6th step in designing a RESTful API from scratch - brainstorm and define the resource models for your REST APIs.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Use Unique Identifiers1:51
Get to know why and how to select the unique identifier for each of your resource models.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 7: Select the Identifier for Each Resource2:04
7th step in designing a RESTful API from scratch - narrow down and select an identifier for each resource while designing API..
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Non-resource Data should be Query Parameters2:51
Know why the non-resource data should not be made as part of resource models; instead should be query parameters while designing API.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Designing API Resources
Summary2:20
A quick recap of the topics you learned in this section and what is coming up next.

Introduction1:30
A quick overview of the topics you will learn in this section.
Defining Relationships between Resources5:07
Find out the relationship between resources and their importance while designing APIs.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 8: Identify the Association for Each Resource3:37
8th step in designing a RESTful API from scratch - find the associations between resources (if any).
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
URL Shouldn’t be Complex4:42
Learn the recommended URL structure along with tips on designing better URLs in APIs.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Step 9: Check for the URL Complexity3:09
9th step in designing a RESTful API from scratch - validate whether the URLs are as per the recommended guideline.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Combine Related Resources4:05
Understand how you can combine related resources to reduce the number of URL endpoints you expose to the client.
This lecture is part of the course "Designing RESTful APIs: Learn to Design API from Scratch”, a guide to design web APIs that follows REST principles using a step-by-step approach.
Designing Associations between Resources
Summary2:35
A quick recap of the topics you learned in this section and what is coming up next.

Introduction1:20
Overview of HTTP Operations3:04
Explore how http operations define actions on resources, using get to fetch all course information at /courses and return a 200 response.
Common HTTP Operations7:51
Explore the five most important http operations—get, post, put, delete, and patch—and learn their purposes, typical usages, and how they relate to resource management in api design.
Selecting Operations based on Individual Item or Collection6:14
Select http operations by url type: use get and post for collections, and get, put, and delete for individual items; also follow collection slash item slash collection patterns.
Idempotent Methods4:05
Explore idempotent http methods in designing restful APIs; learn that get is idempotent, put and delete are idempotent, while post and patch may not be, and how to document decisions.
Differences between POST, PUT, and PATCH3:26
Step 10: Identify the Operations for Each Resource3:35
Designing API Operations
Summary1:50
Design API operations with get, post, put, patch, and delete, noting post creates resources at collection URLs and put/patch update item URLs, while get/put/delete remain idempotent.

Introduction1:19
Design and specify restful APIs by identifying operation parameters, structuring request content, and selecting content type and request body for each operation.
Designing Request Parameters3:59
Step 11: Identify the Parameters Required for the Operation4:46
Designing Request Content3:10
Design http request content by choosing the appropriate content type, typically application/json, and crafting the request body for get, post, put, and delete operations.
Step 12: Identify the Content Type of Request for the Operation0:44
Step 13: Identify the Request Body for the Operation9:50
Identify the request body for all API operations and consolidate it into a final CMS API design document, with JSON payload examples for courses.
Designing API Requests
Summary2:21

Introduction2:40
Explore designing api responses for a restful api by mastering http status codes, headers, and content types; design response bodies and error handling across api operations.
HTTP Status Codes7:11
Design APIs using appropriate http status codes to indicate success, client errors, and server errors across 1xx to 5xx classes.
Designing Status Codes in Responses5:01
Learn to design http status codes for get, post, put, and delete operations, mapping 200, 201, 204, 400, 404, and 500 series to real scenarios.
Step 14: Identify the HTTP Status Codes for the Operation9:31
Identify and implement HTTP status codes for API operations to ensure correct responses, including 200, 201, 400, and 404, and update the master design document.
Choosing the Format of Responses3:46
Step 15: Identify the Content Type of Response for the Operation2:48
Designing Response Body3:24
Design the response body with a consistent naming convention and json format, using camel case, while avoiding exposure of internal database schemas. For collections, return arrays and consider pagination.
Step 16: Identify the Response Body for the Operation17:16
Designing Error Handling7:36
Design error handling for API responses by defining a clear error model with a unique code, message, and optional target and details, distinguishing client-side from server-side errors.
Step 17: Handle Errors for the Operation1:29
Designing API Responses
Summary3:10

Introduction1:52
Support for Filtering Data3:00
Learn how to filter, sort, and paginate data for large collections in RESTful APIs by passing filter values as query parameters in get requests.
Step 18: Identify the Need for Filtering and Add If Needed3:48
Support for Pagination of Data4:05
Step 19: Identify the Need for Pagination and Add If Needed4:00
Identify the need for pagination in the api and add page and size query parameters to the get /courses endpoint to fetch a specific page of results.
Support for Sorting Data3:13
Step 20: Identify the Need for Sorting and Add If Needed3:09
Identify the need for sorting in the courses API and add a sort by query parameter to the /courses endpoint, enabling sorting by course name.
Summary2:09

Introduction1:53
Learn how to version RESTful APIs by exploring five approaches—from no versioning to media type versioning—and apply a suitable scheme to existing APIs.
Why you Should Version APIs?3:59
Plan API versioning from the start to track changes and avoid breaking clients. Version public and partner APIs to support multiple versions and safely roll out new features.
Ways to Version APIs1:28
Explore five API versioning approaches, including no versioning, URL versioning, query string versioning, header versioning, and media type versioning, with pros, cons, and ideal use cases.
Approach 1: No versioning4:20
Approach 2: URL Versioning8:52
Explore URL versioning by placing the version in the path, support older versions for backward compatibility, and weigh the pros and cons for simple APIs.
Approach 3: Query String Versioning7:40
Explore query string versioning in designing restful APIs by placing the version in the URL query, using a default version, and incrementing to support new fields.
Approach 4: Header Versioning5:18
Approach 5: Media Type Versioning2:34
Which Versioning Approach to Use?3:04
Step 21: Identify the API Versioning Scheme and Set the API Version2:51
Navigating API Versioning Strategy for Partner Integration
Summary4:42
Explore why API versioning matters and compare five versioning schemes—no versioning, uri versioning, query string versioning, header versioning, and media type versioning—highlighting when to choose each for stable client compatibility.

Requirements

Basic knowledge of APIs will be helpful.

Description

The usage of API has dramatically increased in recent times, especially for cloud-native applications. Microservices have become mainstream and expose their services through API endpoints. You will learn how to design an API based on the requirements through a step-by-step approach. I've also included the companion sheets you can use whenever you need to create an API at your work.

Instructor Bio:

I am a software engineer with over 15 years of experience in the industry. I have worked on various projects and gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in cloud computing. I am an experienced online course instructor who has trained many students on various software development topics, including API, .NET, Docker, Kubernetes, and Azure.

Topics Covered In This Course:

Overview of RESTful APIs and their benefits.
Understand the structure of a professionally written API.
Step-by-step instructions for designing a RESTful API.
Design RESTful API resources and associations between them.
Design RESTful API operations.
Design API requests and responses for each of the standard HTTP operations.
Design for filtering, pagination, and sorting.
Design API versioning methods that you can employ to track the changes you make to the APIs.
Lots of Downloadable PDFs: Designing RESTful API Quick Guide, HTTP Status Codes Cheat Sheet, etc
Practice assignments to apply what you learned.

By The End Of This Course:

You will know how to design a RESTful API from scratch.
You can design and write down each API element clearly and professionally.

Enroll now and start your journey for a successful API and cloud computing career.

Who this course is for:

API Developers, beginner or experienced, who work with APIs. You are involved in either design or development of web services. This course will provide you with a strong foundation for RESTful design concepts for API development.

REST API Design from Scratch

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Course Introduction5 lectures • 4min

Getting Started with Designing REST APIs9 lectures • 22min

Overview of RESTful APIs9 lectures • 39min

Designing API Resources10 lectures • 25min

Designing Associations between Resources7 lectures • 25min

Designing API Operations8 lectures • 31min

Designing API Requests7 lectures • 26min

Designing API Responses11 lectures • 1hr 4min

Design for Filtering, Pagination, and Sorting8 lectures • 25min

Designing API Versions12 lectures • 47min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: