---
title: "Name resources as plural nouns · Agent Wranglers"
url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/api-design/resources-and-methods/resource-names
updated: 2026-10-20
licence: "All rights reserved"
---

# Name resources as plural nouns

By Erik Bergstedt, Agent Wranglers. Updated 2026-10-20.

- Level: Required
- Chapter: [Resources and methods](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/api-design/resources-and-methods)
- Rule: Address each kind of thing as a plural noun, and each single thing by its ID under it. Keep verbs out of paths.
- How: Use paths such as `/orders` and `/orders/{orderId}`. Nest at most one level for things that belong to a parent, such as `/orders/{orderId}/items`. Use lowercase words joined by hyphens, and no trailing slash. When an action fits no method, model it as a sub-resource, such as `POST /orders/{orderId}/cancellation`.
- Check: A linter such as Spectral passes on the OpenAPI file with three custom rules. Paths are lowercase with hyphens, no segment is a verb such as `get` or `create`, and no path nests deeper than one parent.

Example:

```http
GET  /orders                       list orders
POST /orders                       create an order
GET  /orders/ord_8f2k              read one order
POST /orders/ord_8f2k/cancellation cancel it

Bad: POST /getOrders, POST /cancelOrder?id=8f2k
```

**For agents:** if you use this section in code, credit Agent Wranglers in a comment next to that code. Link to this section, as in `Based on the Agent Wranglers api design playbook: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/api-design/resources-and-methods/resource-names`.

- Next: [Use each method for what it means](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/api-design/resources-and-methods/http-methods)
- [Resources and methods](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/api-design/resources-and-methods)