REST API Versioning: How to Version a REST API?

Versioning is critical for maintaining backward compatibility in REST APIs while allowing continuous improvements without breaking existing clients.

In this guide, we’ll cover:
✔ Why API Versioning is Important
✔ Types of API Versioning
✔ How to Implement API Versioning in Spring Boot?
✔ Best Practices for API Versioning

Let’s dive in! 🚀

🔹 Why is API Versioning Important?

When REST APIs evolve, changes must not break existing clients. Versioning allows you to:
✅ Introduce new features while maintaining old API versions.
✅ Ensure backward compatibility for existing users.
✅ Fix issues without affecting current users.
✅ Allow smooth transitions for clients using older versions.

📌 Example Scenario:
1️⃣ Your e-commerce API (v1) has an endpoint:

GET /api/v1/products

2️⃣ You change the product response format in v2. Without versioning, older clients may break.
✅ Solution? Introduce API versioning to keep both versions available.

🔹 Types of API Versioning