REST API Documentation Best Practices

<The name of your API call>
Example : Show All Users

• Note: try to use verbs that match both request type (fetching vs modifying) and plurality (one vs multiple.)
• Note: Also add additional info here such as a description, if need be.

<The URL structure (path only, no root url)>
/users or /users/:id or /users?id=:id

1. For fixed urls: /users or /photos
2. For urls with parameters in them: /users/:id or /photos/:photo_id or /users?id=:id

<The request type>
GET | POST | DELETE | PUT

<If URL params exist, specify them in accordance with name mentioned in URL section. Separate into optional and required.>

Required:
id=[integer]
example: id=12

Optional
photo_id=[alphanumeric]
example: photo_id=2345kj3

<If making a post request, what should the body payload look like? This is a good time to document your various data constraints too.>
Example:

{
  u : {
    email : [string],
    name : [string],
    current_password : [alphanumeric]
    password : [alphanumeric],
    password_confirmation : [alphanumeric]
  }
}

{ 
  u : {
    email : "john@smith.com",
    name : "John",
    current_password : "apassw0rd"
    password : "anewpassw0rd",
    password_confirmation : "anewpassw0rd"
  }
}

<What should the status code be on success and is there any returned data? This is useful when people need to to know what their callbacks should expect!>
Example:
Code: 200
Content: { id : 12 }

<Most endpoints will have many ways they can fail. From unauthorized access, to wrongful parameters etc. All of those should be listed here. It might seem repetitive, but it helps prevent assumptions from being made where they shouldn't be.>
Example:
Code: 401 UNAUTHORIZED
Content: { error : "Log in" }
OR
Code: 422 Unprocessable Entry
Content: { error : "Email invalid" }

<Just a sample call to your endpoint in a runnable format ($.ajax call or a curl request) - this makes life easier and more predictable.>

$.ajax({
  url: "/users",
  dataType: "json",
  data : { 
    u: { 
      id : 12,
      email : "john@smith.com" 
    }
  },
  type : "PUT",
  success : function(r) {
    console.log(r);
  }
});            
          

<This is where all uncertainties, commentary, discussion etc. can go. I recommend timestamping and identifying oneself when leaving comments here.>