7 Best-Selling API Design Books Millions Trust

Mark Masse brings his extensive engineering background from ESPN and Disney into this focused guide on REST API design. You learn concrete rules for crafting URIs, handling HTTP methods and status codes, and managing media types, all grounded in REST principles. The book introduces Masse's Web Resource Modeling Language (WRML), offering a structured way to model APIs beyond code. If you're building or refining web service APIs, especially those interacting with browsers or diverse clients, this book clarifies how to design APIs that are consistent, scalable, and standards-compliant.

This guide emerged from Daniel Jacobson's firsthand experience directing engineering for the Netflix API, where he shaped a key distribution channel for streaming content. You’ll gain a clear understanding of how APIs evolved from niche developer tools into strategic business assets, learning to design, implement, and market APIs that serve partners and customers effectively. The book covers everything from defining roles in the API ecosystem to managing security, legal concerns, and performance metrics, with concrete examples drawn from well-known platforms like Facebook and Twitter. If your focus is on integrating APIs as revenue channels or enhancing your product strategy, this book offers practical frameworks without overcomplication, though it’s best suited for those with some technical or business background.

This tailored book explores the art and science of API design with a focus on your unique interests and background. It dives into proven principles and expert techniques that have guided millions in crafting APIs that are both robust and user-friendly. By addressing your specific goals, it reveals how to build scalable, maintainable APIs that meet modern demands while reflecting your personal context. Through a personalized journey, the book covers core concepts such as interface consistency, security considerations, and design patterns, coupled with practical examples that resonate with your experience level. This focused approach ensures you gain deep, applicable knowledge tailored to your API design challenges and ambitions.

What happens when longtime web architecture experts turn their focus to the evolving landscape of REST APIs? Leonard Richardson, alongside Mike Amundsen and Sam Ruby, unpacks the complexities of designing RESTful APIs that remain robust and adaptable over time. You’ll dive deep into concepts like hypermedia-driven API design, the collection pattern, and semantic challenges addressed by formats such as XMDP and ALPS. Each chapter builds on practical strategies for applying HTTP and linked data standards like JSON-LD, equipping you with skills to create APIs that are not only functional but also secure and scalable across various domains. This book suits developers and architects eager to move beyond superficial REST implementations toward truly RESTful services.

Jaroslav Tulach's decades of experience as the architect behind NetBeans' API at Sun Microsystems shape this book's pragmatic approach to API design. Unlike most software design books that dwell on abstract theory, this one dives into creating APIs that endure, focusing on scalability and practical patterns that have proven effective in real projects. You’ll gain insights into designing interfaces that accommodate growth and change without breaking existing clients, with concrete chapters dedicated to best practices and pitfalls to avoid. If you're crafting APIs in Java or similar environments and need guidance that bridges theory and application, this book offers you a grounded perspective without unnecessary jargon.

Unlike most API design books that dive straight into coding, Michael Stowe focuses on crafting an API that lasts. He guides you through designing with a long-term vision, emphasizing a design-first approach that considers your developers' needs and evolving technology. Chapters like "Designing Your Methods" and "Managing with a Proxy" offer concrete insights into building APIs that remain robust over time. If you're looking to understand not just how to build, but how to sustain an API that serves users well into the future, this book has the depth you need.

This personalized book explores the essential steps to enhance API design and implementation, focusing on your unique background and goals. It covers core concepts such as RESTful principles, API usability, and security, while tailoring content to your current experience and specific interests. Through a carefully crafted 30-day roadmap, it guides you through practical actions that build upon proven knowledge valued by millions of developers worldwide. This tailored approach ensures you engage deeply with API design practices that matter most to you, accelerating your learning and application. By focusing on your priorities, the book reveals ways to improve API scalability, maintainability, and user experience effectively.

Phil Sturgeon's extensive career as a developer and CTO gave him firsthand experience with the pitfalls of API design, inspiring this book to share lessons learned the hard way. You’ll explore practical strategies for creating APIs that can evolve gracefully despite changes in business logic or data structures, with a focus on durable design principles rather than simplistic tutorials. The book uses PHP examples to illustrate these concepts but offers theory applicable across languages and frameworks, including discussions on avoiding common mistakes and managing endpoint deprecation. If you’re building APIs that need to stand the test of time and complexity, this book offers grounded insights without unnecessary fluff.

What if everything you knew about building RESTful APIs was challenged by Node.js's event-driven model? Valentin Bojinov, a senior Java developer with a strong background in telecommunication and programming, guides you through creating efficient, scalable RESTful services using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB. You'll learn to set up your development environment, optimize URI routing, implement automated testing with mocks, and secure your data interactions with NoSQL databases. This hands-on approach suits developers familiar with REST concepts aiming to deepen their server-side skills, especially those new to Node.js and Express.