API · hard

49. API Versioning & Backward Compatibility

Evolving APIs without breaking clients.

API versioning strategies in Laravel include URL prefixes (Route::prefix('v1')->group(...)), header-based versioning (Accept: application/vnd.myapp.v2+json), or versioned API Resource classes producing different response shapes per version. Deprecation should be communicated via response headers (Deprecation, Sunset) well before removing an old version. Keeping versioned controllers/resources thin and delegating shared logic to services avoids duplicating business logic across versions.

Check your understanding

1. Which is a common Laravel approach to API versioning?
Route::prefix('v1')->group(...)Renaming the databaseDisabling routing entirelyAlways breaking clients silently
2. What header can signal an API version is being phased out?
Content-TypeSunsetAuthorizationX-Cache