shivakb
2/18/2016 - 6:21 PM

Documenting your REST API

Documenting your REST API

Show User

Returns json data about a single user.

  • URL

    /users/:id

  • Method:

    GET

  • URL Params

    Required:

    id=[integer]

  • Data Params

    None

  • Success Response:

    • Code: 200
      Content: { id : 12, name : "Michael Bloom" }
  • Error Response:

    • Code: 404 NOT FOUND
      Content: { error : "User doesn't exist" }

    OR

    • Code: 401 UNAUTHORIZED
      Content: { error : "You are unauthorized to make this request." }
  • Sample Call:

      $.ajax({
        url: "/users/1",
        dataType: "json",
        type : "GET",
        success : function(r) {
          console.log(r);
        }
      });
    

Title

<Additional information about your API call. Try to use verbs that match both request type (fetching vs modifying) and plurality (one vs multiple).>

  • URL

    <The URL Structure (path only, no root url)>

  • Method:

    <The request type>

    GET | POST | DELETE | PUT

  • URL Params

    <If URL params exist, specify them in accordance with name mentioned in URL section. Separate into optional and required. Document data constraints.>

    Required:

    id=[integer]

    Optional:

    photo_id=[alphanumeric]

  • Data Params

    <If making a post request, what should the body payload look like? URL Params rules apply here too.>

  • Success Response:

    <What should the status code be on success and is there any returned data? This is useful when people need to to know what their callbacks should expect!>

    • Code: 200
      Content: { id : 12 }
  • Error Response:

    <Most endpoints will have many ways they can fail. From unauthorized access, to wrongful parameters etc. All of those should be liste d here. It might seem repetitive, but it helps prevent assumptions from being made where they should be.>

    • Code: 401 UNAUTHORIZED
      Content: { error : "Log in" }

    OR

    • Code: 422 UNPROCESSABLE ENTRY
      Content: { error : "Email Invalid" }
  • Sample Call:

    <Just a sample call to your endpoint in a runnable format ($.ajax call or a curl request) - this makes life easier and more predictable.>

  • Notes:

    <This is where all uncertainties, commentary, discussion etc. can go. I recommend timestamping and identifying oneself when leaving comments here.>