Types of actions in a REST API

• HttpGet: This method is used to retrieve and query records from the database.
• HttpPut: This function updates existing records.
• HttpPost: Utilised for creating new entries in the database.
• HttpDelete: This method deletes records currently stored.

For each data type, a unique controller oversees these actions, ensuring a structured and coherent data handling process. The API is designed to be user-friendly, adhere to industry standards, and is thoroughly documented.

From the outset, the technical approach involves utilising:

• Fast API: Known for its speed and efficiency.
• Python >= 3.12: The latest iteration of the Python programming language.
• Containerization using Docker: The leading technology for containerization of server applications

Linux operating system: A robust and proven platform for hosting services.

This structure aims to enhance the National Addressing System's functionality, supporting accurate and efficient data management and integration across various platforms.

To ensure reliable, scalable, and fair access to the NAS API ecosystem—particularly as integrations expand to include both public and private third-party systems—the platform should adopt additional operational controls and developer support mechanisms:

The NAS API layer will benefit from the implementation of rate limiting to prevent abuse, ensure equitable resource allocation, and protect backend systems from overload during periods of high demand. Rate limiting policies will be clearly defined in API documentation and enforced per API client or token, with the flexibility to grant higher limits to critical government and infrastructure partners.

Complementing rate limiting, API-level caching mechanisms (e.g., in-memory caches, reverse proxies, or CDN-based edge caching) will be deployed to accelerate the most frequently accessed data and reduce repeated queries to the primary database. Caching strategies will be tailored according to data volatility and use-case, balancing data freshness against system responsiveness.

For all external integrations, especially those with business-critical third-party systems, formal Service Level Agreements (SLAs) will be established. SLAs will define key parameters such as guaranteed uptime, target response times, maintenance notification windows, and escalation procedures for incidents. This transparency fosters trust among stakeholders and ensure predictable quality of service for mission-critical operations.

To guide system sizing and support future growth, the NAS API and underlying infrastructure will be subject to regular performance benchmarking. Metrics such as average and 95th percentile response times, throughput under load, and maximum supported concurrent connections will be documented. Scalability thresholds (e.g., API requests per minute, data volume limits, user concurrency) will be specified and reviewed as usage patterns evolve.

To facilitate secure and efficient onboarding of new integrators, a sandbox environment—mirroring the production API but operating on test data—will be provided to registered developers. This environment enables third parties to prototype and validate their integrations without risk to production data or services. Comprehensive API documentation, test credentials, and sample data will be made available within the sandbox to accelerate development and troubleshooting.

The API must as minimum implement the following methods. Authentication is exempt but implicitly required for acceptable system operations.

A reference implementation of the API has been prepared and may be used directly or built on when implementing the final system