URIcentric

URIcentric is a design principle in web architecture and API design that treats Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) as the central mechanism for identifying and addressing resources on the Web. In a URIcentric system, each resource or concept exposed by an application should be reachable via a unique, resolvable URI, and client interactions are conducted by exchanging representations retrieved from those URIs. The approach emphasizes stable identifiers, clear URL structure, and navigability through hyperlinks.

Key ideas include the use of stable URIs as long-term identifiers, the embedding of hyperlinks to related resources in representations, and the view that the URL is the canonical address for a resource. This perspective favors linking and discoverability over opaque identifiers and supports URLs that endure across changes to the underlying data model.

In RESTful design, resource identification by URIs is central; clients communicate with servers through standard HTTP methods; representations carry state; hypermedia links (HATEOAS) are often used to guide client transitions. URIcentric practice therefore aligns with the idea that clients should be able to navigate an application by following links rather than by applying client-specific knowledge.

Advantages of a URIcentric approach include improved discoverability, linkability, caching, and scalability, as well as the ability to reference resources across systems. Potential challenges involve URI maintenance and governance to prevent brittleness, versioning complexities, and ensuring that URI structures remain practical and secure as resources evolve.

Examples include REST APIs that expose resources at endpoints such as https://api.example.org/users/123 and Linked Data projects that assign dereferenceable URIs to entities for cross-system linking.

See also: REST, HATEOAS, URIs, Linked Data.