Why REST API Naming Rules Actually Matter
In a REST API, the URL structure itself acts as documentation. A well-designed endpoint tells you what resource it deals with without any extra explanation, but mixed casing, underscores, and stray verbs create confusion during collaboration and force clients to write more defensive code. The core RESTful principles are simple: represent resources as nouns (plural where it makes sense), express actions through HTTP methods (GET/POST/PUT/DELETE), and stick to lowercase letters and hyphens — kebab-case.
This checker runs your endpoint URL through five automated checks — lowercase letters, kebab-case, no verbs, no trailing slash, and no file extension — and gives you a score out of 100 plus a letter grade. Use it whenever you're designing a new API, reviewing existing documentation, or drafting a team naming convention before things get inconsistent.
Frequently Asked Questions
REST represents resources as nouns and actions through HTTP methods. A verb in the URL duplicates the meaning already carried by the method, breaking the design principle.
Some systems treat URLs as case-sensitive and others don't, so lowercase letters and hyphens are the safest and most readable common standard.