Approachesrest

Approachesrest is a design concept and, in some discussions, a lightweight framework for building RESTful APIs that emphasize multiple approaches to client needs. The term blends the idea of methodical approaches with REST principles, focusing on how clients interact with data rather than solely on fixed resource representations.

The core idea of approachesrest is to treat API design as a catalog of access approaches. Practitioners imagine an approach registry that documents available methods for retrieving or manipulating data, along with approach-specific serialization, error handling, and behavior expectations. Hypermedia considerations are often included to advertise which approaches are available and how to navigate between them. This approach aims to give clients the freedom to select the most appropriate method for a given task while maintaining consistent server behavior.

Architecturally, approachesrest typically envisions a layered structure that includes a core REST surface, an approach registry or catalog, adapters for different data models or backends, and a governance layer to manage versioning and deprecation by approach rather than by resource. Endpoints may expose surface-area representations tied to particular approaches, with client SDKs or tooling tailored to consume those approaches.

Reception and status are informal; approachesrest is not a formal standard and remains an exploratory concept within API design discussions. Proponents view it as a way to evolve APIs more fluidly while preserving compatibility and clarity for clients.

See also: REST, API design, hypermedia, HATEOAS.