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Learn API Technical Writing 2

REST for Writers

4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Based on 3,336 ratings
see reviews
Peter Gruenbaum

This is the second in a series of courses for technical writers who want to learn how to write API documentation. The first course is called "Learn API Technical Writing: JSON and XML for Writers", and it is recommended that you first take that course, unless you are very familiar with JSON and XML, and how to document them.

This course teaches how to document REST APIs. No programming experience is required, but technical writers with programming experience who want to know more about REST APIs will still find it useful.

What are APIs?

Read more

This is the second in a series of courses for technical writers who want to learn how to write API documentation. The first course is called "Learn API Technical Writing: JSON and XML for Writers", and it is recommended that you first take that course, unless you are very familiar with JSON and XML, and how to document them.

This course teaches how to document REST APIs. No programming experience is required, but technical writers with programming experience who want to know more about REST APIs will still find it useful.

What are APIs?

APIs (Application Program Interfaces) define how software systems talk to each other, and API documentation is a rapidly growing field. There is a strong need for writers who can understand APIs and explain them so that software developers can understand how to use them. API writers get to be in on the cutting edge of technology in high-paying positions.

What is REST?

REST (Representational State Transfer) is a popular style of web API, and it's used to communicate data between devices and servers. Different data is contained in different parts of the API requests and responses, and this course explains what those different parts are and how to document them.

What is in This Course?

By the end of the course, you will understand what REST is and how to read and document REST requests and responses. In this course you'll find:

  • 12 videos that:
    • Provide background information on REST APIs
    • Break down REST requests into their various pieces with examples
    • Show real-time, narrated writing of REST documentation
    • Provide overviews of authentication and authorization for REST
  • 7 hands-on exercises to lead you through making and documenting REST requests
  • 7 short quizzes to keep you on your toes
  • PowerPoint presentations as a resource for every video lecture
  • A Microsoft Word document you can use as a template for REST reference material

The course takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, depending on how fast you are with the exercises.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Understand the basics of how rest works.
  • Understand the basics of authentication and authorization.
  • Create reference documentation for rest requests.

Syllabus

Students will understand what is covered in this course and what REST is.

This introduction explains:

  • What will be covered in the course
  • What APIs are
  • Why API documentation is important
Read more

This lecture covers what REST is. At the end, students should know:

  • REST is a type of web API
  • The difference between design patterns and protocols
  • How RESTful APIs use HTTP, requests, responses, and resources
  • How REST compares to SOAP

Answer the following questions about REST.

This lecture covers how REST requests work. At the end, students should understand:

  • What a request is
  • The different parts to a request:
    • Method
    • URL
    • Query parameters
    • Headers
    • Body

Identify part of a REST request

This lecture covers REST resources. At the end, students should understand:

  • What a resource is
  • How resources are represented in URLs
  • What endpoints are
  • How to specify either multiple or singular resources
  • How resources can contain other resources

Short note on resource names

Choose the most likely resource for the given task.

This lecture covers HTTP methods. At the end, students should understand:

  • What a method is
  • What are CRUD operations
  • When the methods GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE are used

Match up the actions with the most appropriate method.

This exercise has you making REST calls to learn how to use the different HTTP methods.

This exercise teaches you how to document the method and the URL for a resource.

This lecture covers query parameters. At the end, students should understand:

  • What query parameters are
  • How they are used in REST
  • How to document them

This lecture covers headers. At the end, students should understand:

  • What headers are
  • How to use headers to specify formats
  • How to use headers for authorization
  • How to document headers

Note: This lecture is technically the most difficult. If you are finding it hard to understand, don't get discouraged. Just skip it and come back to it at the end.

This lecture covers authentication and authorization. At the end, students should understand:

  • The difference between authentication and authorization
  • What app keys are
  • What OAuth is and a bit about how it works
  • Generally, how to document authentication and authorization

This lecture covers request bodies, response bodies, and errors. At the end, students should understand:

  • Where is structured data used in REST?
  • What URLs in response data means
  • Sample requests and responses
  • How to document HTTP status codes

This lecture covers how to put all of the information from the course together to write reference API documentation. Two examples are documented in real time.

This lecture covers tools for documenting and calling REST APIs. At the end, students should understand:

  • How tools can help
  • The differences between single source tools, content management systems, and autogenerated documentation tools
  • What Markdown is
  • How to use a REST client to make REST API calls

This lecture is a review of the course, and includes:

  • A summary of each lecture
  • A description of next steps to writing complete REST API documentation

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches REST API documentation, which as seen significant growth
Provides an understanding of the basics of how REST works, which is core for many roles in software development
Provides an understanding of authentication and authorization, which are crucial for the security of REST APIs
Provides hands-on exercises and quizzes, which reinforce the learning experience
Requires no programming experience, which makes it accessible to a broader audience
Taught by experienced instructors, which ensures the quality of the content
Recommended to have familiarity with JSON and XML, which may be a limitation for some learners
Could cover more advanced topics, such as API design patterns and security best practices

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Reviews summary

Essential rest api documentation for writers

According to learners, this course is an absolute gem for technical writers aiming to master API documentation, specifically for REST APIs. It stands out by breaking down complex concepts into easily digestible lessons, making them approachable for those new to the field. Students consistently highlight the practical approach and invaluable hands-on exercises, which provide real-world application and solidify understanding. The course is seen as concise yet comprehensive, offering a solid foundation and boosting confidence in API documentation projects. It's also an excellent complement to the preceding JSON/XML course.
Builds strong foundational knowledge and boosts confidence.
"This course provides a solid foundation, enabling you to approach API documentation projects with confidence."
"I now feel much more confident in tackling API documentation projects."
"It’s concise but comprehensive, providing a solid foundation."
Simplifies complex REST and API documentation concepts.
"It explains topics from scratch, making complex concepts easy to grasp for those new to the field."
"I particularly appreciate how it demystifies authentication and authorization, often stumbling blocks for non-programmers."
"It clarifies complex topics like authentication very well."
Offers practical experience through invaluable exercises.
"The hands-on exercises are particularly helpful, as they give you real-world experience."
"The practical exercises are invaluable, reinforcing the theoretical knowledge with hands-on application."
"The content is well-explained, and the hands-on exercises are very beneficial for practical application."
Tailored specifically for technical writers and non-programmers.
"This course on API Documentation is a complete guide to understanding REST APIs from a writer's perspective."
"For technical writers wanting to delve into API documentation, this course is an absolute gem."
"It explains the core concepts of REST APIs in a way that is highly relevant to documentation, avoiding unnecessary programming jargon."
Suggests expanding coverage on common tools and workflows.
"My only minor suggestion would be to perhaps include a brief section on common tools or workflows used in real-world API documentation teams..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Learn API Technical Writing 2: REST for Writers with these activities:
Review REST basics
Review the basics of REST to ensure a strong foundation for this course.
Browse courses on REST
Show steps
  • Review the course syllabus and identify key REST concepts.
  • Read online articles and tutorials on REST principles and methods.
  • Complete hands-on exercises or simulations to practice using REST APIs.
Review the book "RESTful Web Services Cookbook"
Gain insights and practical guidance on RESTful web services through this recommended book.
View RESTful Web APIs on Amazon
Show steps
  • Purchase or borrow a copy of "RESTful Web Services Cookbook".
  • Read through relevant sections on REST API design, documentation, and best practices.
  • Apply the concepts you learn to your own REST API documentation projects.
Practice Making RESTful API Calls
Reinforces the concepts of making RESTful API calls and working with request and response structures.
Show steps
  • Use an API testing tool like Postman to make GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE requests to a RESTful API.
  • Inspect the HTTP headers and bodies of the requests and responses to understand their structure and content.
  • Practice sending requests with different parameters and payloads to observe the effects on the responses.
Two other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all five activities
Write a Blog Post on RESTful API Design
Provides an opportunity to synthesize and communicate understanding of RESTful API design principles.
Browse courses on Technical Writing
Show steps
  • Choose a specific aspect of RESTful API design to focus on, such as resource naming or error handling.
  • Research and gather information on the topic.
  • Write a blog post that explains the topic clearly and concisely.
Contribute to an Open Source RESTful API Project
Provides hands-on experience in applying RESTful API design principles and working on real-world projects.
Browse courses on API Development
Show steps
  • Find an open source RESTful API project on platforms like GitHub.
  • Review the project documentation and identify an area where you can contribute.
  • Submit a pull request with your proposed changes or additions.

Career center

Learners who complete Learn API Technical Writing 2: REST for Writers will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

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Course image
Rating
4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Effort
2 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Peter Gruenbaum
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches REST API documentation, which as seen significant growth
Provides an understanding of the basics of how REST works, which is core for many roles in software development
Provides an understanding of authentication and authorization, which are crucial for the security of REST APIs
Provides hands-on exercises and quizzes, which reinforce the learning experience
Requires no programming experience, which makes it accessible to a broader audience
Taught by experienced instructors, which ensures the quality of the content
Recommended to have familiarity with JSON and XML, which may be a limitation for some learners
Could cover more advanced topics, such as API design patterns and security best practices
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