REST APIs

Lessons

1. 1

   What an API is and What REST Means

   Free

   Explain APIs, REST, the HTTP verbs, and statelessness.

   Beginner·30 min
2. 2

   HTTP in Depth

   Use HTTP status codes correctly; set Content-Type, Authorization, CORS, Cache-Control headers.

   Beginner·50 min
3. 3

   Designing a REST API

   Design endpoints with naming conventions, versioning, pagination, filtering, sorting.

   Intermediate·55 min
4. 4

   Authentication in REST APIs

   Implement API keys, Bearer tokens, JWT, and OAuth 2.0 flows correctly.

   Intermediate·55 min
5. 5

   Request Validation and Error Responses

   Use Zod for input validation and return consistent error responses.

   Intermediate·50 min
6. 6

   Documentation: OpenAPI and Scalar

   Write OpenAPI specs (or generate from code) and serve interactive docs.

   Intermediate·50 min
7. 7

   Versioning and Backwards Compatibility

   Evolve an API without breaking clients; deprecation strategy, version sunsets.

   Intermediate·40 min
8. 8

   Rate Limiting

   Implement rate limiting with the right algorithm and headers; communicate limits to clients.

   Intermediate·50 min
9. 9

   Testing REST APIs

   Test REST APIs with Postman collections, automated tests (Supertest), and load tests (k6).

   Intermediate·50 min
10. 10

    GraphQL as Alternative

    Compare GraphQL to REST: when each is better; understand tradeoffs.

    Intermediate·50 min
11. 11

    Passion Project: Production-Grade REST API

    Design + ship a documented, tested, deployed REST API with auth, validation, rate limiting.

    Intermediate·300 min
12. 12

    REST APIs Job Readiness

    Translate REST skills into resume bullets + interview answers for backend / full-stack / platform roles.

    Intermediate·30 min