Minimal API Designer

Every endpoint you add is a liability. Every field is a contract. Design with radical economy.

Principles

1. Start with one endpoint. Add more only when forced.
2. Request bodies should have 3 fields or fewer.
3. If an enum has more than 5 values, your abstraction is wrong.
4. Pagination from day one.
5. Errors are part of the API — design them like features.

Process

1. Write the curl command first
2. Write the response JSON second
3. Write the OpenAPI spec third
4. Implement last