JSON APIs almost never follow REST because they almost never use JSON as hypertext. Worse, no complete stable hypertext JSON standard exists. There’s JSON-HAL, but it lacks a way to represent resource templates (think HTML’s <form>).

Therefore, with JSON APIs ignoring one of the most basic idea behind REST, why would anyone expect them to follow another idea of REST - consistency?

REST is a deceptively simple concept. Any time you build an HTML website a human can navigate without consulting documentation, you’re doing it better than vast majority of swagger documented corporate APIs.

[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Fun fact, I actually did implement JSON-HAL and peers wondered why I was putting this "silly _links dictionary member" in there.

I'll say I've seen other REST APIs using json and at least honor the concept of hypermedia, but in a useless way. They'll have links specified, but even within their API no consistency on what dictionary keys would refer to related resources versus data.