8 Best-Selling API Development Books Millions Love

Mark Masse's extensive experience at ESPN and Disney informs this focused guide on REST API design, where he presents clear, practical rules rooted in the REST architectural style. You learn how to craft resourceful URIs, leverage HTTP methods and response codes effectively, and handle metadata and media types thoughtfully. The introduction of the Web Resource Modeling Language (WRML) adds a conceptual layer that helps you design and implement APIs with consistency and clarity. This book suits developers and architects looking to elevate their API design with proven, standards-based approaches rather than vague guidelines.

Daniel Jacobson, drawing from his experience leading the Netflix API engineering team, offers a focused exploration of how APIs have evolved into powerful business channels beyond mere programming tools. You’ll gain insight into crafting an API strategy that aligns with business goals, including managing security, legal considerations, and user experience. The book breaks down the roles of asset owners and developers, with practical frameworks for measuring API success, making it especially useful for executives and product managers navigating API initiatives. If you're involved in shaping digital products or partnerships, this guide provides a clear roadmap without unnecessary technical jargon.

This tailored book explores battle-tested API development methods that align precisely with your unique challenges and goals. It covers essential principles of API design, implementation, security, and management while integrating your background and interests, offering a focused learning experience that matches your needs. By combining insights validated by millions with your personal context, this book reveals how to navigate common pitfalls and optimize API workflows effectively. Embracing a personalized approach, it examines practical scenarios and techniques that resonate with your specific objectives, enabling you to build robust APIs that succeed in real-world environments. This tailored guide transforms proven knowledge into a resource that speaks directly to your ambitions in API development.

Leonard Richardson's decades of experience in web architecture and API design led to this deep exploration of REST's true potential beyond its common misapplications. You’ll learn how to build APIs that not only follow REST principles but also evolve gracefully using hypermedia-driven strategies, such as collection patterns and standardized data formats like JSON-LD. The book thoroughly covers HTTP best practices and even delves into applying REST concepts in embedded systems with protocols like CoAP. If you're seeking to master API design that stands the test of time and complexity, this book offers detailed guidance rooted in real-world distributed computing.

Filip Wojcieszyn brings his deep experience with the ASP.NET web stack to this practical guide, tackling common challenges developers face when building business applications with Web API 2. You’ll find clear explanations paired with ready-to-use code snippets that address real problems, such as customizing request handling and integrating external libraries. This book is tailored for developers aiming to streamline custom web service creation within the Microsoft ecosystem, offering concrete examples rather than abstract theory. If you work extensively with .NET and want to build efficient APIs that solve business needs, this book will fit your workflow well.

Matthias Biehl brings a rich blend of technical expertise and practical insight to the complex world of API design. He guides you through understanding API architecture not just as isolated endpoints, but as integrated solutions involving platforms, portfolios, and client interactions. You’ll learn to approach API strategy from multiple angles — including technical frameworks, management, and consumer-focused design — with examples like using RAML and Swagger to document decisions. This book suits those who want to grasp the overarching structure and methodology behind APIs rather than a detailed coding manual, making it ideal for architects, product managers, and developers aiming to build APIs that resonate with users.

This tailored book explores the essential steps for building and deploying APIs efficiently, designed specifically to match your background and goals. It reveals a clear, personalized path through API development, focusing on actionable tasks to help you make rapid progress from concept to deployment. By honing in on your unique interests, it covers key concepts such as API design patterns, authentication, versioning, and testing, while addressing the practical challenges you face. The book guides you through each stage with a tailored approach, making complex topics accessible and directly relevant to your pace and expertise. This focused journey empowers you to accelerate API creation with confidence and clarity.

Phil Sturgeon's long career in software development, including releasing the CodeIgniter Rest Server and contributing to FuelPHP, shapes this down-to-earth guide on building APIs. Instead of glossing over theory, the book dives into real challenges like evolving business logic, database changes, and deprecated endpoints, sharing stories of failures and lessons learned. You’ll find practical insights into designing and maintaining APIs across any language, with PHP examples grounding the concepts. Whether you're a developer facing the chaos of API upkeep or just starting out, this book offers concrete strategies to make the process less painful and more predictable.

Matthias Biehl’s background in APIs, AI, and software engineering informs this focused guide to RESTful API design. You’ll learn how to apply API description languages like RAML and OpenAPI to streamline both design and development, ensuring your APIs are customer-centric and manageable as products. The book covers the full API lifecycle, from inception through evolution, with practical guidance on resource use, versioning, and connecting APIs to legacy systems or microservices. If you want to build scalable, maintainable APIs that meet real user needs and adapt over time, this book offers solid frameworks without unnecessary jargon.

Kirsten Hunter challenges the conventional wisdom that APIs are mere technical interfaces, instead framing them as integral parts of a product's core value. Drawing from her experience as an API evangelist, she guides you through designing APIs centered on meaningful use cases and business value, ensuring they resonate with developers and stakeholders alike. You'll explore design-driven development, schema modeling, and effective biz-to-dev communication patterns that elevate your API beyond just backend access. This book suits everyone on the API design team, offering insights whether you're technical or business-oriented, emphasizing how to craft APIs that feel like natural extensions of your application.