Learning API Styles: Understanding the Trade-Offs of Common APIs and Choosing the Correct Solutions

An application programming interface (API) enables data exchange in systems such as web applications, microservices, and IoT devices. In this hands-on book, authors Lukasz Dynowski and Marcin Dulak show software developers and architects how to design and implement REST, GraphQL, gRPC, webhooks, WebSocket, messaging APIs, and more.

This book looks at the most popular API styles from a network, application, and architecture perspective. You'll learn how to determine the appropriate type of API for your application use case and how to tackle design decisions along the way. You'll also learn the trade-offs between various APIs and acquire practical knowledge of how to implement them.

• Explore the origins and evolution of API styles
• Learn network protocols that various APIs use
• Understand the trade-offs of each API style
• Select an appropriate API style
• Learn how to implement, secure, and document the APIs

Paperback / softback | 375 pages | Published July 2025