Richardson Maturity Model as Capability Spectrum¶

REST is not binary but a spectrum of adoption (transport, resources, verbs, hypermedia); understanding maturity levels helps choose appropriate investment and avoid cargo-cult RESTfulness.

Tension Addressed¶

Generality vs. Usability

Recognizable As¶

Level 0 (RPC over HTTP), Level 1 (resources), Level 2 (HTTP verbs), Level 3 (hypermedia); pragmatic stopping points based on ROI

Canonical Sources¶

Richardson Maturity Model; Fowler, "Richardson Maturity Model" (2010)

Transfers To¶

Capability maturity models generally, Adoption curves, Technology progression frameworks

Most successful APIs stop at Level 2. The model's value is recognizing that REST is incremental adoption, not all-or-nothing. Each level adds constraints and benefits; choosing where to stop is an engineering decision.