name: api-versioning-strategy description: Implements API versioning using URL paths, headers, or query parameters with backward compatibility and deprecation strategies. Use when managing multiple API versions, planning breaking changes, or designing migration paths.

API Versioning Strategy

Choose and implement API versioning approaches with proper deprecation timelines.

Versioning Methods

URL Path Versioning (Recommended)

const v1Router = require('./routes/v1');
const v2Router = require('./routes/v2');

app.use('/api/v1', v1Router);
app.use('/api/v2', v2Router);

Version Adapter Pattern

// Transform between versions
const v1ToV2 = (v1Response) => ({
  data: {
    type: 'user',
    id: v1Response.user_id,
    attributes: {
      name: v1Response.user_name,
      email: v1Response.email
    }
  }
});

Deprecation Headers

app.use('/api/v1', (req, res, next) => {
  res.setHeader('Deprecation', 'true');
  res.setHeader('Sunset', 'Sat, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT');
  res.setHeader('Link', '</api/v2>; rel="successor-version"');
  next();
});

Safe vs Breaking Changes

Safe Changes (no version bump):

• Adding optional fields
• Adding new endpoints
• Adding optional parameters

Breaking Changes (requires new version):

• Removing fields
• Changing field types
• Restructuring responses
• Removing endpoints

Deprecation Timeline

Best Practices

• Support N-1 versions minimum
• Provide 6+ months migration window
• Include migration guides with code examples
• Monitor version usage to inform deprecation