In API design interviews, what is a recommended approach?

In API design interviews, what is a recommended approach?

• A. Default to REST unless there is a clear reason to use GraphQL or RPC, then spend unlimited time on API design while ignoring authentication basics.
• B. Spend no more than five minutes on API design and focus on identifying resources and authentication basics.
• C. Always choose GraphQL for all API design questions regardless of context.
• D. Memorize every HTTP status code before the interview.

Answer: (B)

In API design interviews, the emphasis is on efficient planning and security awareness. The best approach is to spend a brief, structured planning window—about five minutes—to map the core resources you’ll expose and outline how clients will authenticate and be authorized. This shows you can quickly scope a problem, identify the main endpoints (the resources), and address how access is controlled, which is essential in real-world design. It demonstrates you value secure, usable interfaces and can communicate constraints and tradeoffs early. The idea isn’t to lock in a long, perfectionist design or to ignore authentication concerns. Nor is it about blindly choosing GraphQL for every scenario or trying to memorize every HTTP status code in advance. Those approaches either miss context, miss practical security focus, or miss useful interview behaviors like time management and requirement elicitation.

In API design interviews, the emphasis is on efficient planning and security awareness. The best approach is to spend a brief, structured planning window—about five minutes—to map the core resources you’ll expose and outline how clients will authenticate and be authorized. This shows you can quickly scope a problem, identify the main endpoints (the resources), and address how access is controlled, which is essential in real-world design. It demonstrates you value secure, usable interfaces and can communicate constraints and tradeoffs early.

The idea isn’t to lock in a long, perfectionist design or to ignore authentication concerns. Nor is it about blindly choosing GraphQL for every scenario or trying to memorize every HTTP status code in advance. Those approaches either miss context, miss practical security focus, or miss useful interview behaviors like time management and requirement elicitation.