Module 5: API Development & Documentation

Learn to build professional REST APIs with proper documentation, testing, and best practices using Node.js and Express.js.

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API Development & Documentation

Learn to build professional REST APIs with proper documentation, testing, and best practices using Node.js and Express.js.

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RESTful API Design

Learn RESTful API design principles and best practices for building scalable APIs

Content by: Sachin Patel

Node.js Developer

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REST API Principles

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for designing networked applications. RESTful APIs use HTTP methods to perform CRUD operations on resources and follow specific conventions for URL structure and response formats.

RESTful API Implementation

Code Example
// RESTful API structure
const express = require('express');
const router = express.Router();

// GET /api/users - Get all users
router.get('/users', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const users = await User.find();
        res.json({
            success: true,
            data: users,
            count: users.length
        });
    } catch (error) {
        res.status(500).json({
            success: false,
            error: 'Failed to fetch users'
        });
    }
});

// GET /api/users/:id - Get user by ID
router.get('/users/:id', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const user = await User.findById(req.params.id);
        if (!user) {
            return res.status(404).json({
                success: false,
                error: 'User not found'
            });
        }
        res.json({
            success: true,
            data: user
        });
    } catch (error) {
        res.status(500).json({
            success: false,
            error: 'Failed to fetch user'
        });
    }
});

// POST /api/users - Create new user
router.post('/users', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const user = new User(req.body);
        const savedUser = await user.save();
        res.status(201).json({
            success: true,
            data: savedUser
        });
    } catch (error) {
        res.status(400).json({
            success: false,
            error: 'Failed to create user'
        });
    }
});

// PUT /api/users/:id - Update user
router.put('/users/:id', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const user = await User.findByIdAndUpdate(
            req.params.id,
            req.body,
            { new: true, runValidators: true }
        );
        if (!user) {
            return res.status(404).json({
                success: false,
                error: 'User not found'
            });
        }
        res.json({
            success: true,
            data: user
        });
    } catch (error) {
        res.status(400).json({
            success: false,
            error: 'Failed to update user'
        });
    }
});

// DELETE /api/users/:id - Delete user
router.delete('/users/:id', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const user = await User.findByIdAndDelete(req.params.id);
        if (!user) {
            return res.status(404).json({
                success: false,
                error: 'User not found'
            });
        }
        res.json({
            success: true,
            message: 'User deleted successfully'
        });
    } catch (error) {
        res.status(500).json({
            success: false,
            error: 'Failed to delete user'
        });
    }
});

// Query parameters and pagination
router.get('/users', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const { page = 1, limit = 10, sort = 'createdAt', order = 'desc' } = req.query;
        
        const skip = (page - 1) * limit;
        const sortOrder = order === 'desc' ? -1 : 1;
        
        const users = await User.find()
            .sort({ [sort]: sortOrder })
            .limit(parseInt(limit))
            .skip(skip);
            
        const total = await User.countDocuments();
        
        res.json({
            success: true,
            data: users,
            pagination: {
                page: parseInt(page),
                limit: parseInt(limit),
                total,
                pages: Math.ceil(total / limit)
            }
        });
    } catch (error) {
        res.status(500).json({
            success: false,
            error: 'Failed to fetch users'
        });
    }
});
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🎯 Practice Exercise

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Previous Module

Module 4: Authentication & Security

Next Module

Module 6: Deployment & DevOps

Additional Resources

📚 Recommended Reading

  • •REST API Design Guidelines
  • •Swagger/OpenAPI Documentation
  • •API Testing Best Practices
  • •Node.js API Development Guide

🌐 Online Resources

  • •RESTful API Tutorial
  • •Swagger Documentation Guide
  • •API Testing with Jest

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