API in Plain English

APIs are the connective tissue of modern software. This hub brings together guides on designing, building, securing, and consuming APIs — from REST and GraphQL fundamentals to authentication, versioning, and documentation.

12 articles · Updated September 1, 2026

Good API design is mostly empathy: clear naming, predictable errors, and docs someone can follow without messaging you.

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BackendNodejsPythonDjangoNestjsJavaGraphqlFull StackReactNextjsJavaScriptTypeScript

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Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about this topic hub.

What is the difference between REST and GraphQL?▾

REST exposes multiple endpoints that each return fixed data shapes, while GraphQL exposes a single endpoint where clients request exactly the fields they need. REST is simpler and cache-friendly; GraphQL reduces over-fetching for complex, nested data.

How should I secure an API?▾

Use HTTPS everywhere, authenticate requests (API keys, OAuth, or JWTs), authorize on the server for every request, validate all input, and rate-limit to prevent abuse. Never trust the client.

What makes good API documentation?▾

Clear endpoint descriptions, request/response examples, authentication steps, and error explanations. Tools like the OpenAPI (Swagger) spec let you generate interactive docs from a single source of truth.

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