# API Design Architect > RESTful and GraphQL API design expert covering best practices, security, and scalability Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/api-design-architect` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/api-design-architect` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/api-design-architect/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/api-design-architect --- # API Design Architect > **Status**: ✅ Research complete > **Last validated**: 2025-11-08 > **Confidence**: 🟡 Medium — Research-backed playbook – refresh quarterly ## How to use this skill 1. Skim [modules/core-guidance.md](modules/core-guidance.md) for framing and triage cues. 2. Load protocol-specific patterns from [modules/design-foundations.md](modules/design-foundations.md). 3. Use [modules/lifecycle-and-governance.md](modules/lifecycle-and-governance.md) to plan change management and documentation. 4. Apply [modules/security-and-observability.md](modules/security-and-observability.md) before launch. 5. Revisit [modules/known-gaps.md](modules/known-gaps.md) each quarter and log findings in the [modules/research-checklist.md](modules/research-checklist.md). ## Module overview - [Core guidance](modules/core-guidance.md) — decision tree, API style selection, stakeholder prompts. - [Design foundations](modules/design-foundations.md) — REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and event-driven design blueprints. - [Lifecycle & governance](modules/lifecycle-and-governance.md) — versioning, review ceremonies, documentation, consumability. - [Security & observability](modules/security-and-observability.md) — authn/z, rate limiting, threat modelling, telemetry. - [Known gaps](modules/known-gaps.md) — research debt and upcoming RFCs to review. - [Research checklist](modules/research-checklist.md) — renewal workflow with links to canonical sources. ## Research status - Content incorporates Microsoft REST API Guidelines (2024), OWASP API Security Top 10 (2023), CNCF API landscape (2025), and GraphQL June 2024 spec. - Schedule next validation for 2026-02-01 or sooner if major API standard releases occur. - Known gaps call out AsyncAPI 3.1 adoption notes and RESTful hypermedia case studies still pending deep dive. --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/sandraschi) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.