Modern API Architecture Guide

RESTful and GraphQL API design principles with microservices integration strategies. This comprehensive guide features real-world examples from high-traffic applications, covering API gateway patterns, versioning strategies, and integration best practices used by leading technology companies.

RESTful API Design

• Resource Modeling: URI design, HTTP methods, and status code conventions
• Data Serialization: JSON, XML, and Protocol Buffers for efficient data transfer
• Pagination Strategies: Cursor-based and offset pagination for large datasets
• Filtering & Sorting: Query parameter design and advanced search capabilities
• HATEOAS Implementation: Hypermedia controls for self-descriptive APIs

GraphQL Architecture

• Schema Design: Type definitions, resolvers, and schema federation
• Query Optimization: N+1 problem solutions and DataLoader patterns
• Subscription Handling: Real-time updates and WebSocket management
• Security Measures: Query complexity analysis and rate limiting
• Caching Strategies: Query result caching and cache invalidation

API Gateway Patterns

• Kong Configuration: Service discovery, load balancing, and plugin ecosystem
• AWS API Gateway: Lambda integration, custom authorizers, and throttling
• Zuul & Spring Gateway: Java-based gateway patterns and filters
• Envoy Proxy: Service mesh integration and advanced routing
• Custom Gateway: Building lightweight gateways with Node.js and Go

Authentication & Authorization

• OAuth 2.0 Flows: Authorization code, client credentials, and PKCE
• JWT Implementation: Token structure, signing algorithms, and validation
• API Key Management: Key rotation, scoping, and usage analytics
• RBAC Systems: Role-based access control and permission matrices
• External Identity: Integration with Auth0, Okta, and social providers

Microservices Integration

• Service Discovery: Consul, Eureka, and Kubernetes-native discovery
• Circuit Breaker: Hystrix, Resilience4j, and fault tolerance patterns
• Distributed Tracing: Jaeger, Zipkin, and correlation ID propagation
• Event-Driven Architecture: Message queues, event sourcing, and CQRS
• API Composition: Backend for Frontend (BFF) and composite services

Performance & Optimization

• Caching Layers: Redis, Memcached, and application-level caching
• Response Compression: Gzip, Brotli, and content optimization
• Connection Pooling: HTTP/2, keep-alive, and connection management
• Async Processing: Background jobs, queues, and webhook patterns
• CDN Integration: API response caching and geographic distribution

API Versioning Strategies

• URL Versioning: Path-based version management and routing
• Header Versioning: Accept headers and content negotiation
• Schema Evolution: Backward compatibility and deprecation strategies
• Blue-Green APIs: Zero-downtime API migrations and rollbacks
• Contract Testing: Consumer-driven contracts and API compatibility

Monitoring & Analytics

• API Metrics: Response times, error rates, and throughput monitoring
• Usage Analytics: Endpoint popularity, user behavior, and trend analysis
• Error Tracking: Structured logging, error aggregation, and alerting
• Performance Profiling: Bottleneck identification and optimization opportunities
• Business Metrics: Revenue impact, feature adoption, and user engagement

Integration Patterns

• Webhook Systems: Event delivery, retry mechanisms, and security
• Polling Strategies: Efficient polling patterns and long-polling implementations
• Batch Processing: Bulk operations and asynchronous processing
• File Uploads: Multipart uploads, progress tracking, and validation
• Third-Party APIs: Rate limiting, error handling, and adapter patterns

What's Included

• API Templates: Production-ready API implementations in multiple languages
• OpenAPI Specs: Complete API documentation and validation schemas
• Integration Examples: Real-world integration patterns and code samples
• Testing Suites: Automated API testing with Postman and REST Assured
• Monitoring Configs: Grafana dashboards and alerting rules
• Security Checklists: API security audit guidelines and penetration testing

Industry Case Studies

• Stripe: Payment API design and developer experience optimization
• Twilio: Communication APIs and webhook delivery systems
• GitHub: RESTful design and GraphQL migration strategies
• Shopify: Partner API ecosystem and rate limiting strategies
• Slack: Real-time APIs and event-driven architecture

Target Audience

Designed for backend developers, API architects, integration specialists, and technical leads responsible for designing scalable API systems. Perfect for teams building microservices, third-party integrations, and developer-facing APIs.