Excellent points. As for: > My assumption, but since you asked: I think you're expecting the original REST paper and hypermedia to be something that it isn't,

Excellent points. As for: > My assumption, but since you asked: I think you're expecting the original REST paper and hypermedia to be something that it isn't, and to apply to things it isn't supposed to. You're trying to apply it to arbitrary APIs that are supposed to be consumed exclusively by custom software. I just want to point out that Fielding in his thesis details many different types of architectures. His focus is on REST and hypermedia - and especially how it fits well with efficient and correct caching. But he talks about movable code (java applets, or essentially also modern JavaScript applications like those built around React), RPC etc. I think the thesis remains relevant exactly because it's not only about REST.