8 Best-Selling REST Programming Books Millions Love

What sets Mark Masse's REST API Design Rulebook apart is its focus on applying a consistent, standards-based approach to crafting RESTful APIs. Masse, drawing on his extensive experience at ESPN and Disney, lays out concrete rules for URI construction, HTTP methods, status codes, and media types that align closely with the Web's REST principles. You’ll find practical guidance on resource modeling through his Web Resource Modeling Language, which brings clarity to API design decisions. This book is ideal if you’re involved in designing or maintaining web services and want a clear framework rather than vague suggestions. It’s especially useful for developers seeking to align APIs with recognized web standards for better interoperability and client compatibility.

When Leonard Richardson, an expert in web architecture and API design, teamed up with Mike Amundsen and Sam Ruby, they crafted a detailed exploration of RESTful API design that goes beyond basics. This book guides you through creating APIs that not only function well today but can evolve with changing requirements, emphasizing hypermedia as the key to coherent and flexible interfaces. You'll dive into concepts like the collection pattern, hypermedia formats such as ALPS and JSON-LD, and the CoAP protocol for embedded systems, gaining practical insights into making APIs more secure and interoperable. It's a solid choice if you're involved in API development and want to deepen your understanding of REST's architectural principles and their application across diverse domains.

This tailored book explores battle-tested REST programming techniques that address real-world challenges developers often face. It examines practical RESTful API design, implementation nuances, and effective problem-solving, all matched to your unique background and goals. By combining popular, validated knowledge with your specific interests, this book reveals how to build robust, scalable APIs that fit your needs. You'll discover how to navigate HTTP methods, URI design, hypermedia controls, and security concerns through a personalized lens, making complex concepts more accessible and actionable. This focused approach ensures you gain relevant insights without wading through unrelated material, empowering your REST programming journey with clarity and precision.

Bill Burke's decades of experience as a JBoss architect and Fellow at Red Hat Inc. form the backbone of this guide to RESTful web service development. You learn how to apply REST principles using the JAX-RS 2.0 specification within Java EE 7, focusing on practical implementation rather than abstract theory. Chapters walk you through creating a distributed e-commerce order system, leveraging HTTP caching, and integrating authentication methods like OAuth 2.0 and client-side SSL. This book is especially useful if you're a Java developer aiming to build scalable, maintainable REST services with real-world tools and examples.

What started as a need to simplify complex web services led Kenn Scribner and Scott Seely to explore RESTful techniques within the .NET framework. Their combined years of experience in .NET development inform a guide that teaches you how to harness REST's architectural style to build more efficient services. You'll learn how to implement RESTful services using ASP.NET, WCF, and Azure cloud technologies, with detailed code examples illustrating each approach. This book suits developers looking to deepen their understanding of REST integration with Microsoft technologies, though those outside the .NET ecosystem might find some content less applicable.

What happens when a seasoned API developer distills years of trial and error into a concise guide? Phil Sturgeon, with his extensive background building APIs for clients like Apple and the UN, offers a grounded exploration of API design and maintenance beyond simplistic tutorials. You’ll learn how to handle evolving business logic, schema changes, and endpoint deprecation effectively, with PHP examples anchoring the theory in practice. This book benefits developers ready to deepen their understanding of API longevity and robustness rather than just creating quick JSON endpoints, making it a solid choice if you want to avoid common pitfalls in API projects.

This tailored book explores step-by-step REST programming actions designed for quick, tangible wins in your development journey. It covers core REST principles and practical techniques, focusing on your interests and matching your background to accelerate learning efficiently. With a personalized approach, the book reveals how to implement essential REST concepts, from designing endpoints to handling HTTP methods, providing targeted insights that align with your specific goals. It examines real-world examples and common pitfalls, making complex topics approachable and immediately applicable. By tailoring content to your needs, this book ensures a focused, engaging experience that helps you build confidence and achieve rapid results in REST programming.

Ludovic Dewailly's extensive experience as a software engineer shines through in this focused guide to building scalable RESTful web services using the Spring Framework. You’ll explore how to design RESTful endpoints that expose CRUD operations effectively, implement consistent response formats, and handle errors gracefully. The book also walks you through securing your services and testing them thoroughly, including load testing strategies. Whether you want to optimize performance with caching and clustering or build a Java client for your web service, this concise volume offers practical examples grounded in real-world software architecture. It's ideal if you have some Java knowledge and want a pragmatic approach to RESTful service development with Spring.

While working as a web development consultant, Lorna Jane Mitchell noticed many developers struggle to create robust APIs using PHP. Drawing from over a decade of hands-on experience, she crafted this guide to demystify the process of building web services. You’ll explore practical techniques for handling HTTP verbs, headers, and cookies, and learn when to use JSON versus XML for data exchange. The book also offers concrete advice on designing services that can gracefully handle errors and debugging tips, making it particularly useful if you’re responsible for maintaining or building APIs with PHP.

Valentin Bojinov’s background as a senior Java developer and his academic focus on telecommunication and software development shape this insightful guide to building RESTful APIs with Node.js. You’ll move from fundamental REST concepts to hands-on techniques for setting up Node.js environments, developing HTTP request handlers, and integrating MongoDB via Mongoose. The book clearly explains optimizing URI routing and securing services, making it especially useful if you want to deepen your practical skills in creating scalable, server-side REST APIs. It’s best suited for web developers familiar with JavaScript who want to grasp Node.js and Express without prior experience.