Acknowledge that you don't have internal API documentation memorized, but demonstrate product sense by inferring likely endpoints from Top Hat's core user journeys (courses, content, engagement). Frame your answer around the platform's key resources and how they would map to RESTful endpoints, showing you understand both the product and API design principles.
Pro tip: Tie each endpoint to a specific user need or business outcome (e.g., 'GET /courses to let instructors see their course list'), which shows you think about APIs as product features, not just technical specs.
Briefly state that you'll infer endpoints based on Top Hat's core product areas, since you don't have the API reference in front of you. This sets expectations and shows honesty.
List Top Hat's main entities: courses, users (students/instructors), content (textbooks, questions), and engagement data (grades, attendance). These are the nouns that endpoints would operate on.
For each resource, propose a plausible endpoint using standard REST conventions (e.g., GET /courses, POST /courses/{id}/enrollments, GET /users/{id}/grades). Explain the HTTP method and purpose.
For each endpoint, briefly explain how it enables a key user workflow (e.g., 'GET /courses/{id}/questions lets instructors retrieve question banks for quizzes'). This shows product sense.
Note that exact paths may differ, but the underlying resources and actions are what matter. Offer to validate against documentation if needed, demonstrating a collaborative approach.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.