> Markdown version of [/playlists/api-design](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/playlists/api-design). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Playlist: API design 9 videos · 12 moments · 40.7 minutes ## API Design - Getting Started - **Understanding the core concepts of API design** (04:49, 3min) — Navigating disagreements around application systems by defining specific business purposes, usability bounds, and technical constraints. - **Clarifying the boundary between requirements and API design** (32:42, 0min) — Maintaining scope by viewing API engineering as a direct tool to solve core product requirements instead of inventing new expectations. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/33-api-design-getting-started) ## The Great API Debate: REST, GraphQL, or gRPC? - **Core benefits of using application programming interfaces** (06:21, 1min) — Using APIs to compartmentalize software complexity and improve system scalability. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1195-the-great-api-debate-rest-graphql-or-grpc) ## Insights from building the Canva Developers Platform to empower 185 million designers - **Maintaining public API consistency with internal design groups** (19:04, 3min) — Establishing an API design group enables team autonomy while avoiding disconnected architectures shaped by system limitations. - **Designing outstanding APIs with simplicity, safety, and evolvability** (15:31, 3min) — Following strict design principles ensures long-term commitment to developer ecosystems without breaking existing integrations. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/942-insights-from-building-the-canva-developers-platform-to-empower-185-million-designers) ## Architecting API Security - **Designing APIs for security from day one** (00:00, 3min) — Prioritizing early architectural design prevents critical authorization and authentication flaws commonly found in real-world application deployments. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/377-architecting-api-security) ## API = Some REST and HTTP, right? RIGHT?! - **Strategies for versioning application programming interfaces consistently and effectively** (10:45, 3min) — Managing API configurations through URL paths, custom application headers, or content media types ensures smooth client transitions. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1675-api-some-rest-and-http-right-right) ## Bootiful Spring Boot 3 - **Consuming APIs using declarative HTTP client interfaces** (36:23, 5min) — Declarative client interfaces simplify network communications without requiring manual HTTP request construction. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/537-bootiful-spring-boot-3) ## Rest API Antipatterns - **Addressing the Chatty Kathy API design anti-pattern** (09:57, 3min) — How overly fine-grained endpoints increase frontend orchestration complexity and server load. - **Avoiding the kitchen sink API design anti-pattern** (13:45, 3min) — Why returning comprehensive resource representations for simple requests causes severe performance and security impacts. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100208-rest-api-antipatterns) ## API‑First: How Twilio Designs for Developers - Justin Kitagawa (Twilio) - **Prioritizing backward compatibility in API design** (03:53, 3min) — The importance of supporting existing endpoints to ensure mission-critical systems and hardware integrations do not break. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1801-api-first-how-twilio-designs-for-developers-justin-kitagawa-twilio) ## The Name of the Rose - **Designing consistent interfaces using domain specific nomenclature** (17:34, 4min) — Adopting familiar standardized nomenclature from existing protocols and libraries dramatically improves new API discoverability. [Learn more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/678-the-name-of-the-rose)