Hypermedia and the rest of REST

REST is, undoubtedly one of the most maligned and misunderstood terms in our industry today. So many different things have been called REST, that the world has virtually lost all meaning. Many systems and applications that self-describe as “RESTful” usually are not, at least according to REST as defined in Dr. Roy T. Fielding’s 2000 Dissertation, “Architectural Styles and the Design of Network-based Software Architectures”.

The wild success of the architecture derived by Dr. Fielding led many to want to emulate it (even when it was inappropriate to do so). As a shorthand, organizations began referring to “RESTful” systems, which exposed “RESTful” APIs. Over time “REST” became a buzzword referring to a vague generalization of HTTP/json APIs that typically bear little to no resemblance to the central ideas of REST (and thus elicit few of the benefits). Hypermedia is the central pillar and defining characteristic of the REST architectural style yet it remains almost universally absent.

Hypermedia was a revolutionary idea that, while more relevant than ever, is almost forgotten in today's tech space. Consequently few reap the benefits of this idea and ever fewer know what they might be giving up.

Although not every system needs to (or should be) RESTful, it's helpful to understand the key–and often overlooked–ideas to be able to decide if they make sense for your current next project. This session introduces the key foundational ideas and shows what these ideas look like in practices. Although hypermedia and REST don't make sense for every project or system, you'll leave this session with a better understanding of these groundbreaking ideas, practical insights on how to adopt them today, and ultimately armed to approach the trade-offs of this approach mindfully and deliberately.

About Michael Carducci

Michael Carducci spent years learning to see things as they actually are; first as a magician, then as a software architect, now as both simultaneously. And somehow that’s not even the whole story.

He’s the author of Mastering Software Architecture (Apress, 2025) and is currently writing The Semantic Layer. He has spent over 25 years following interesting problems; through roles from individual contributor to CTO and back again, across industries and continents.

As a speaker, he applies the same toolkit he uses in close-up magic: attention, misdirection, timing, storytelling, and the instinct to take the long way around when that’s where the truth lives. Audiences at hundreds of conferences across four continents have described his talks as the kind that change how you think about a problem rather than just what you know about it.

He also makes YouTube videos about technology and curiosity with his wife Kate, because some ideas are too important (or too interesting!) to leave only in conference rooms.

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