REST API Production Architecture AGENTS.md Template

Overview

AGENTS.md template for REST API production architecture defines how AI coding agents operate across design, implementation, testing, deployment, and governance of REST APIs. It supports both single-agent execution and multi-agent orchestration with explicit handoffs and supervisor behavior.

Direct answer: This page provides a complete, copyable AGENTS.md template that codifies roles, rules, memory, sources of truth, and escalation paths for REST API production workflows.

When to Use This AGENTS.md Template

• When you need a reproducible, auditable workflow for designing, building, testing, and deploying REST APIs.
• When coordinating multiple agents across planning, implementation, validation, and release.
• When you require tool governance, secrets handling, and human review gates.
• When you want a single source of truth for contract tests, OpenAPI specs, and deployment criteria.

Copyable AGENTS.md Template

# AGENTS.md
Project Role: REST API Production Orchestrator
Agent roster:
- Planner: designs API contracts, selects tools, defines milestones
- Implementer: writes API code, integrations, and tests
- Reviewer: verifies specs, contracts, and security controls
- Tester: executes contract tests, integration tests, and load tests
- Release Manager: coordinates deployments, rollbacks, and releases
- Security Auditor: validates access controls and secret handling
- Domain Specialist: provides API domain expertise and governance
Supervisor/Orchestrator:
- Monitors progress, enforces constraints, coordinates handoffs, and ensures sources of truth
Handoff rules:
- Planner → Implementer: pass API contract, OpenAPI spec, and required tools
- Implementer → Reviewer: deliver code, tests, and documentation
- Reviewer → Tester: approve test plan and results
- Tester → Release Manager: present test outcomes and risk assessment
- Release Manager → Domain Specialist: confirm domain legitimacy and governance gates
Context memory and source of truth:
- All decisions stored in a central knowledge store; primary source is the OpenAPI contract and repository state
- Use CI/CD events and ticketing data as corroborating sources
Tool access and permission rules:
- Agents may call approved tools only; secrets stored securely; no hard-coded credentials
- Access to production systems requires explicit approval gates
Architecture rules:
- REST API gateway with TLS termination; microservice decomposition; observability by default
File structure rules:
- Keep responsibilities isolated under services/api, services/gateway, and agents folders
Data, API, or integration rules:
- All API contracts must be versioned; integration endpoints validated via contract tests
Validation rules:
- Every change must pass contract tests, integration tests, and security checks
Security rules:
- Secrets must never be logged; rotate keys; enforce least privilege
Testing rules:
- Include unit, integration, contract, and load tests; validate against OpenAPI specs
Deployment rules:
- Deploy to staging first, require green signals before production promotion
Human review and escalation rules:
- If tests fail or risk exceeds threshold, escalate to human review and halt deployment
Failure handling and rollback rules:
- Rollback to previous stable release with quick-restore plans; preserve observability
Things Agents must not do:
- Do not bypass approvals; do not modify governance without validation; never run unsandboxed production changes

Recommended Agent Operating Model

Roles, responsibilities, decision boundaries, and escalation paths are defined to minimize context drift and ensure auditable decisions. Planner sets contracts and gates; Implementer builds against those gates; Reviewer validates; Tester confirms; Release Manager gates release; Domain Specialist ensures domain alignment; Security Auditor enforces access and secrets rules. Escalations route through the Orchestrator for timely human review when risk crosses thresholds.

Recommended Project Structure

Workflow-specific directory tree for REST API production architecture:

/
├── services
│   ├── api
│   │   ├── src
│   │   └── openapi.yaml
│   └── gateway
│       ├── routes
│       └── config.yaml
├── workflows
│   └── rest-api-production
│       ├── contracts
│       ├── tests
│       │   ├── unit
│       │   ├── integration
│       │   └── contract
│       └── pipelines
├── agents
│   ├── planner
│   ├── implementer
│   ├── reviewer
│   ├── tester
│   └── orchestrator
├── config
├── docs
└── README.md

Core Operating Principles

• Single source of truth for API contracts and deployment state
• Deterministic decision boundaries with explicit escalation
• Memory scoped to the current API lifecycle and governed by rules
• Clear, auditable handoffs between agents
• Do not modify production without approvals and validation

Agent Handoff and Collaboration Rules

Planner to Implementer: pass contract, OpenAPI spec, and tool access. Implementer to Reviewer: deliver code, tests, and docs. Reviewer to Tester: approve test plan and results. Tester to Orchestrator: provide risk assessment for release. Domain Specialist and Security Auditor gate critical decisions at release time.

Tool Governance and Permission Rules

Commands, edits, API calls, and secret handling are restricted by role-based permissions. Production actions require approved pipelines, approvals, and audit logs. Secrets must be stored securely; do not log them; rotate regularly.

Code Construction Rules

Follow the OpenAPI contract, adhere to agreed coding standards, and write contract tests first. Do not skip tests; do not hard-code configuration. Maintain idempotent operations and observable changes.

Security and Production Rules

Enforce TLS, least privilege, secret rotation, access controls, and zero-trust networking. Gate production changes with automated tests and human review when risk thresholds are exceeded.

Testing Checklist

• Unit tests for API components
• Contract tests against OpenAPI spec
• Integration tests for service interactions
• Load and resilience tests
• Security and dependency checks
• End-to-end deployment validation

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping contract tests or misaligning OpenAPI with implementation
• Overlooking proper secret management
• Unsafe handoffs or bypassing approvals
• Unclear escalation paths leading to delayed releases

FAQ

What is the purpose of this AGENTS.md Template for REST API production architecture?

This AGENTS.md Template defines roles, rules, and handoffs to govern multi-agent workflows in REST API production, including tool governance and human review.

How should agent handoffs be managed?