# Route Name (URI)

The **route URI** is the entry point in which the client will use to initiate the request for a desired resource. There are 4 considerations when it comes to planning for the URI path.

1. API Versioning
2. URI Path
3. Query String Parameters
4. HTTP Verb

![The anatomy of an HTTP request.](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Wjteb5dSTv6RsHs_yYoj0ZyJ4sZr-j848sIv8nH6HOJouSus8SFgEFTAPcbaqj3--MM8uweE6XIcmZ9rEfw0ckkgfc-kMGa75JaAHLisOpUuT6BxbtMTM_BaS-yOooLqU9NWF5eY)

## API Versioning

We talked about API versioning strategies under chapter 3, [Versioning Strategies](/part-2/chapter-3/7-versioning-strategies.md). Whichever strategy(ies) you decide to implore, make to specify it clearly in the design doc.

For me personally, I have always used the URI prefixing approach like this: `https://example.com/api/v1`.

## URI Path

Next is the URI path itself. Make sure to design the URIs by following the best practices and guidelines mentioned in chapter 3, [URI Design](/part-2/chapter-3/2-uri-design.md). Also, make sure to make them as RESTful as possible whilst being as pragmatic as possible.

## Query String Parameters

Similar to the above, try following the best practices mentioned in the [URI Query Design](/part-2/chapter-3/2-uri-design.md#uri-query-design) section of chapter 3. Make sure to remember that query strings are used mainly as optional parameters.

The final result of your decision should be something like this:

`GET /api/v1/users?page=1&limit=10`

Which should be very intuitive as it translates to "retrieve a list of the first 10 users in the application".

## HTTP Verb

Similar to the above, try following the best practices mentioned in chapter 3, [Method Verbs](/part-2/chapter-3/3-method-verbs.md). Make sure to always utilize the verbs as much as possible without naming the URIs as actions or functional APIs.


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