The document discusses issues with REST and proposes an alternative approach called Post-REST. It advocates for documentation-first design, focusing on users rather than theoretical purity, and continuing to evolve designs based on user feedback rather than stopping after initial design. APIs should support multiple versions and isolate code handling changes to minimize impact.

1. Post-REST Manifesto
Jakub Nesetril
founder & CEO of Apiary

2. Apiary
0 to 100,000 APIs since 2012
Largest API community worldwide
design, documentation, validation, testing
API Blueprint—markdown-based API docs

3. What’s in an API?
BIOS
OOP
web APIs

4. What’s in an API?
UI to developer, not machine 2 machine
contains & absorbs implementation/complexity

5. REST
loosely defined (good)
simple, light-weight
descriptive (easy to introspect)

6. Problem #1:
Focus on Theoretical Purity
there is no ONE true UI for all problems
(but it’s RESTful, so deal with it)

7. Problem #2:
Focus on Upfront Design
another word for this is waterfall

11. Consumer-Led API Design
good UI/UX requires user understanding
their needs, experience and habits define
what’s right for your API

12. API Design Process
design > prototype > collect feedback
rinse, repeat

13. API Design Process
documentation-first or contract-first
your documentation should test your
code

14. Don’t Stop Designing
your users & useless change
you learn

15. Deal with Change
run one API, many versions
isolate/minimize code dealing with changes
move some client logic onto server, let the
server drive (hypermedia)

16. Post-REST Manifesto
1. documentation/contract first
2. code follows contract, not vice-versa
3. focus on users, not architecture
4. don’t stop evolving your design
5. isolate & minimize change-code

17. Thank You
apiary.io
@apiaryio @jakubnesetril