API Versioning Strategies
API versioning lets you evolve your API without breaking existing clients. The most common approach is URL-based versioning (/api/v1/posts, /api/v2/posts). Each version can have different controllers, resources, and response formats.
URL-Based Versioning
// routes/api.php
Route::prefix('v1')->group(function () {
Route::apiResource('posts', V1\PostController::class);
Route::apiResource('users', V1\UserController::class);
});
Route::prefix('v2')->group(function () {
Route::apiResource('posts', V2\PostController::class);
Route::apiResource('users', V2\UserController::class);
});
// Controller organization:
// app/Http/Controllers/Api/V1/PostController.php
// app/Http/Controllers/Api/V2/PostController.php
// Resource organization:
// app/Http/Resources/V1/PostResource.php
// app/Http/Resources/V2/PostResource.php
// V2 can return different fields, include new relationships,
// or change response structure without affecting V1 clientsTip
Tip
Practice API Versioning Strategies in small, isolated examples before integrating into larger projects. Breaking concepts into small experiments builds genuine understanding faster than reading alone.
REST is the standard for modern web APIs
Practice Task
Note
Practice Task - (1) Write a working example of API Versioning Strategies from scratch without looking at notes. (2) Modify it to handle an edge case (empty input, null value, or error state). (3) Share your solution in the Priygop community for feedback.
Quick Quiz
Common Mistake
Warning
A common mistake with API Versioning Strategies is skipping edge case testing - empty inputs, null values, and unexpected data types. Always validate boundary conditions to write robust, production-ready laravel code.