# API Documentation

## API Overview
**Name:** [API name]  
**Version:** [Version]  
**Base URL:** [URL]  
**Status:** [Active/Deprecated/Beta]  
**Last Updated:** [Date]

## Authentication
- Authentication method (OAuth2, API key, JWT, etc.)
- How to obtain credentials
- Token expiration and refresh
- Example authentication headers

## Rate Limiting
- Rate limit thresholds (requests per minute/hour)
- How limits are enforced
- Rate limit headers returned
- Handling 429 responses
- Quota considerations

## Error Handling
- Standard error response format
- HTTP status codes used
- Common error codes and meanings
- Retry logic recommendations
- Troubleshooting guide

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "ERROR_CODE",
    "message": "Human-readable message",
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

## Versioning Strategy
- How versions are managed (URL path, header, query param)
- Deprecation policy and timeline
- Breaking change notifications
- Backward compatibility guarantees

## Endpoints

### Endpoint: [METHOD] /resource/{id}
**Description:** [What this endpoint does]  
**Authentication:** [Required/Optional/None]  
**Rate Limit:** [Tier if applicable]

**Request**
```
Method: [GET/POST/PUT/DELETE/PATCH]
Path: /v1/resource/{id}
Query Parameters:
  - param1 (string, required): Description
  - param2 (integer, optional): Description

Headers:
  - Authorization: Bearer {token}
  - Content-Type: application/json

Body:
{
  "field1": "value",
  "field2": 123
}
```

**Response**
```
Success (200):
{
  "id": "resource-123",
  "field1": "value",
  "field2": 123,
  "createdAt": "2025-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

Error (400):
{
  "error": {
    "code": "INVALID_REQUEST",
    "message": "Missing required field: field1"
  }
}
```

**Status Codes:**
- 200: Success
- 400: Bad request
- 401: Unauthorized
- 403: Forbidden
- 404: Not found
- 429: Rate limit exceeded
- 500: Server error

**Examples:**
```
curl -X GET https://api.example.com/v1/resource/123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"
```

## Webhooks (if applicable)
- Supported events
- Payload format
- Retry logic
- Signing/verification
- Example webhook payloads

## Pagination
- Pagination style (offset/limit, cursor, keyset)
- Maximum page size
- Default page size
- Example paginated response

## Filtering & Sorting
- Supported filter operators
- Sortable fields
- Query syntax examples

## SDK & Client Libraries
- Available SDKs
- Installation instructions
- Links to repositories

## Changelog
- Version history
- Breaking changes
- New features
- Bug fixes
- Deprecations