Experienced REST API Developer Needed for Backend & Integration Project

We are looking for an experienced REST API Developer to design, develop, secure, and optimize a robust backend service architecture for our application. This project requires someone highly skilled in building modern API-driven systems with clean structure, predictable behavior, and scalable performance. You should have a strong understanding of API standards, endpoint versioning, data modeling, authentication systems, and efficient server-to-client communication.

Your core responsibility will be to design RESTful endpoints, architect the backend structure, implement business logic, validate requests, sanitize inputs, handle errors gracefully, and deliver secure APIs for frontend/mobile clients. In addition to development, you will collaborate closely with product, frontend, and database teams to map workflows, design schemas, and ensure smooth feature integrations.

You will also handle caching strategies, rate limiting, token-based authentication (JWT/OAuth), logging systems, and response optimization. The APIs must follow REST conventions, including proper HTTP methods, status codes, pagination, error responses, and versioning patterns. Experience working with tools like Postman, Swagger, or Insomnia is essential for documentation and testing.

This project requires strong knowledge of backend languages (Node.js/PHP/Python/Go), database operations, and secure communication practices. Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, environment configuration, API gateways, and monitoring tools will be beneficial.

If you enjoy building clean, well-documented, high-performance backend systems and want to work on a project where reliability and scalability matter, this role is ideal for you.

✅ Responsibilities (15 points)

Design and develop RESTful APIs with predictable responses

Build endpoint architecture with proper routing and versioning

Implement authentication using JWT/OAuth2

Validate inputs and implement data sanitization

Create complex business logic in controllers/services

Integrate third-party APIs and SDKs

Optimize response time and payload size

Implement caching (Redis) and rate limiting

Design and manage database schemas (MySQL/PostgreSQL/MongoDB)

Create detailed API documentation using Swagger/Postman

Debug issues using logs, tracing, and monitoring tools

Ensure complete security (OWASP API guidelines)

Write unit and integration tests for endpoints

Collaborate with frontend/mobile teams for smooth integration

Prepare deployment-ready backend builds

✅ Required Skills (15 points)

Strong experience building REST APIs

Expertise in backend languages (Node.js, PHP, Python, Go)

JSON, HTTP, and API standards proficiency

Authentication: JWT, OAuth2

Database experience (MySQL/PostgreSQL/MongoDB)

Routing, middleware, and request lifecycle handling

Async programming & error handling

Familiar with Postman/Swagger

Caching, rate limiting, throttling

Strong debugging skills

CI/CD workflows (GitHub Actions/GitLab CI)

Knowledge of API gateways (optional)

Version control using Git

Experience with server deployment

Understanding of REST best practices

✅ Tools & Technologies

Node.js / Express OR Laravel / Django / Flask / Go

MySQL / PostgreSQL / MongoDB

Redis caching

Postman / Insomnia / Swagger

Docker / PM2

Git & GitHub

Nginx / Apache

JWT / OAuth2

CI/CD (GitHub Actions)

✅ Deliverables

Fully functional REST API service

Endpoint documentation (Swagger/OpenAPI)

Optimized DB schema

Authentication + authorization system

Integration with external APIs

Caching, rate limiting, error handling

Deployment-ready backend build

Test cases + quality report

Versioning + environment setup guide

1–2 revision cycles

✅ Budget

Hourly: $35–75/hr

Project: $3,000 – $15,000

Monthly: $3,000 – $7,500 (optional retainer)

✅ Timeline

Total Duration: 6–12 weeks

Week 1–2: Architecture + endpoint planning

Week 3–6: API development + DB integration

Week 7–9: Optimization + testing

Week 10–12: Deployment + documentation

✅ Success Metrics

API response time < 150ms

99%+ uptime

Zero critical security vulnerabilities

95%+ test coverage

Proper caching with <30ms DB load

Clean API documentation with no missing routes

Zero major integration issues for frontend/mobile