
Introspected REST: An alternative to REST and GraphQL - vasilakisfil
https://github.com/vasilakisfil/Introspected-REST
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vasilakisfil
Hi, author here.

Introspected REST is a new model for evolvable networked services. It's an
alternative to Roy's REST (and GraphQL).

In youtube there is a related talk I had given about a year ago called
"Sliding away from Roy's REST model". At that time I hadn't figured out ALL
the details about this new model but only the general idea, just mentioning
that in case you bump on it.

Please take your time and take a look at it, it's the first time that I share
it to the world and any feedback is welcome, here or in Github. It's around 50
pages of text so I understand if it takes you a while..

The reason I spend so much time in explaining REST is because we first need to
understand what REST brings into table and what leaves out of the table,
before proposing a new model. I hope I make these clear in the text. To be
honest I think not many API designers really understand what REST is,
unfortunately, that's why a lot of time is spent on that. People think that
adding some hypermedia through links or even actions makes your API RESTful.
And I am not telling that from the point of view "your API is not REST!" but
to the other side of people, the ones who yield that. In fact, a truly REST
API is quite complex. After all, REST is out there 20 years not but our APIs
are still not truly evolvable and self-described so maybe the problem is
somewhere else..

Maybe the text can be improved a bit (maybe explain a bit more the HATEOAS
decoupled from REST), but I am very tired with it, mentally. Even proof-
reading it takes a couple of hours. I think it's better to take a longer break
now and to work on it again later with a clearer mind and after I gather some
initial feedback, plus, other people can contribute as well. The idea is to
lock the text in 1-2 years from now and publish it in introspected.rest
domain.

Not sure what this text is or should, a publication, an article, a manuscript,
a thesis or an antithesis. I name it a "manifesto" because I want, when API
designers differentiate from Roy's REST and conventional API architectures, to
have for them something to stand on, to feel that there is an actual community
that supports them and embrace their decisions that break existing "best
practices" and move towards Introspected REST.

/Filippos

