Richardson Maturity Model

The Richardson Maturity Model is a way to evaluate how well a RESTful API (a system for allowing software to communicate) follows best practices. It has four levels: Level 1 uses basic techniques; Level 2 introduces resources and standard HTTP methods like GET and POST; Level 3 adds hypermedia links (meaning responses include links to related actions), making the API more flexible and self-descriptive; and Level 4 emphasizes discoverability and hypermedia controls for a truly RESTful experience. In essence, it guides API designers to create more robust, flexible, and standardized interfaces.