A payload is the application data carried by a network request or response. Lean communication keeps payloads—and the calls carrying them—as small as the user experience allows. section 8.4.4
Combine only the data the page needs
A page showing customer information and orders can make two endpoint calls, or receive both through one endpoint. The combined response avoids repeated request overhead while keeping the payload focused on required information. section 8.4.4
<customer>
<id>48291</id>
<name>Emily Doe</name>
<email>emily.doe@example.com</email>
<phone>+1-555-0143</phone>
<address>
<street>281 Main Street</street>
<city>Springfield</city>
<state>CA</state>
<country>USA</country>
</address>
<orders>
<order>
<id>10293</id>
<total>129.90</total>
</order>
<order>
<id>10212</id>
<total>54.00</total>
</order>
<order>
<id>9912</id>
<total>260.45</total>
</order>
</orders>
<preferences>
<newsletter>true</newsletter>
<language>en-US</language>
<theme>light</theme>
</preferences>
</customer>
Inspect a customer response containing contact details, orders, and preferences; its breadth makes unnecessary payload data visible. section 8.4.4
Reduce payload-related communication cost by:
- Grouping only needed information in API responses. section 8.4.4
- Using HTTP caching and clear expiration rules to avoid transferring unchanged data. section 8.4.4
- Keeping operations local and batching updates when offline-first behavior fits. section 8.4.4
