What is a right way for REST API response?

Question

What is a best practice for REST API response structure and layout?

Example of scrath:

Success response:

{
    "status": "success",
    "data": # some data here
}

Fail response:

{
    "status": "fail",
    "data": {
        "code": # some error code,
        "message": # some error explaining message
    }
}

Answer 1

There is many ways to design you API response. It is conditional to your architecture, technology, and other aspects.

Based on your example, I would respond this way

Successful request:

{
    "status": "success",
    "data": {
            /* Application-specific data would go here. */
    },
    "message": null /* Or optional success message */
}

Failed request:

{
    "status": "error",
    "code": 404,
    "data": null, /* or optional error payload */
    "message": "Error xyz has occurred"
}

For more info about this topic take a look at this links

Standard JSON API response format?

Best Practices for Designing a Pragmatic RESTful API

REST API Error Codes 101