API technical and data standards (v2 – 2019)

Publish your APIs on the internet by default. Email api-standards-request@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk if you think your APIs should not be published over public infrastructure.

Proceed with the Technology Code of Practice

Make sure your APIs satisfy the requirements regarding the Technology Code of Practice (TCoP) by simply making sure they:

follow the Open Standards Principles of open access, consensus-based open process and royalty-free licensing

scale so that they can maintain service level objectives and agreements when demand increases

Are stable so they can maintain service level objectives and agreements when dealing or changed with unexpected events

are reusable where possible and so the government does not duplicate work

Stick to the industry standard and where appropriate build APIs that are RESTful, designed to use HTTP verb requests to govern data.

When handling requests, you should use HTTP verbs for their specified purpose.

One of several advantages of REST is you a framework for communicating error states that it gives.

In some cases, may possibly not be applicable to create a REST API, as an example, whenever you are building an API to stream data.

You should use HTTPS when making APIs.

Adding HTTPS will secure connections to your API, preserve user privacy, ensure data integrity, and authenticate the server providing the API. Continue reading The following application that is web-based interface (API) standards guidance may help your organisation deliver the most effective services to users. →