---
description: RESTful API design and documentation standards
globs: *.php, *.js, *.ts
---
# Enhanced API Standards

Ensures consistent API design, documentation, and implementation best practices across PHP, JavaScript, and TypeScript files.

## Rule Details

- **Name:** enhanced_api_standards

- **Description:** Enforce enhanced API design, implementation, and documentation standards

## Filters
- file extension pattern: `\\.(php|js|ts)$`

## Enforcement Checks
- Conditions:
  - pattern `@api\\s+(?!GET|POST|PUT|DELETE|PATCH|OPTIONS|HEAD)` – Use standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, OPTIONS, HEAD) for API endpoints.
  - pattern `function\\s+[a-zA-Z]+Api\\s*\\([^)]*\\)\\s*\\{[^}]*\\}` – negated `(?s)(throw new \\w+Exception|return\\s+(?:\\d{3}|4\\d\\d|5\\d\\d))` – Ensure API functions handle or return errors appropriately using exceptions or HTTP status codes.
  - pattern `(?<!@api\\s+)(?<!\\s+returns\\s+)(?<!\\s+throws\\s+)[A-Z]{3,}(?!\\s+)` – HTTP methods should be prefixed with '@api' for documentation purposes.
  - pattern `\\bresponse\\b(?![^;]*\\.json\\()` – Ensure all API responses are properly formatted, preferably as JSON.

## Suggestions
- Guidance:
**API Best Practices:**
- **HTTP Methods:** Use proper HTTP methods for operations (GET for retrieval, POST for creation, etc.).
- **Status Codes:** Use appropriate HTTP status codes to communicate the result of the request.
- **Versioning:** Implement API versioning to manage changes without breaking existing integrations.
- **Documentation:** 
  - **Swagger/OpenAPI:** Use tools like Swagger for comprehensive API documentation.
  - **Endpoint Descriptions:** Clearly document all endpoints including path, methods, parameters, and possible responses.
- **Authentication & Security:**
  - Implement OAuth, JWT, or similar secure authentication methods.
  - Use HTTPS for all API communications.
- **Rate Limiting:** Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse and ensure fair usage.
- **Error Handling:** 
  - Provide clear, human-readable error messages with corresponding status codes.
  - Implement error logging for debugging purposes.
- **Pagination:** For list endpoints, implement pagination to manage large datasets.
- **Validation:** Validate input data at the API level to ensure data integrity.
- **CORS:** Configure CORS headers if your API is meant to be consumed by web applications from different domains.
- **Monitoring:** Set up monitoring for API performance and usage statistics.

## Metadata
- Priority: high
- Version: 1.2