So the things we call "REST" in 2025 are not quite the same as the original specification of REST. One key aspect that has been abandoned is that sent data should be self-describing. That is, it shouldn't require any additional information to be useful. i.e. API documentation for JSON endpoints.

There's a great chapter on this in Hypermedia Systems[1]. Talks about both this and HATEOAS(Hypermedia as the engine of application state).

1. https://hypermedia.systems/components-of-a-hypermedia-system...