API

This module includes the basic boilerplate for interacting with RESTful API's. The idea is that by following standard REST principles we will always end up with the same url patterns. The only difference is the name of each seperate endpoint.

api.js implements the following HTTP request methods

E.g.: Using cars as resource

Furthermore api.js abides to these standard REST principles

• Use nouns but no verbs
• GET method and query parameters should not alter the state
• Use plural nouns
• Use sub-resources for relations
• Use HTTP headers for serialization formats

Using the API class

Any class interacting with an RESTful API endpoint extends the API class. The API includes a method for each of the request methods mentioned above.

Example

class Car extends API {}

> const car = new Car()
> car.name 
'cars'
> car.construct_url()
'/cars/'
> car.post({'color': 'green'})
POST /cars/ (data {'color':'green'})

Interacting with data

A class that inherits from the API class can be initialized with an id

Example

> const car = new Car(1, fetch=true)
GET /cars/1/ 

By setting fetch to true the constructor will attempt to fetch the data with a simple GET request.

Now the attributes of car with id 1 are available through the object variable.

> car.object.color
'green'

Sub-resources

Sub resources are created by further subclassing the class which inherits from the API class.

Example

class Ticket extends Car {}

> const ticket = new Ticket(2, car, fetch=true)
> ticket.object.extra_info
'Some extra information about the ticket'
> ticket.parent.object.color
'green'

/** Update information */
> ticket.object.extra_info = 'no info'
> ticket.patch()    
PATCH /cars/1/tickets/2/

> ticket.post({'extra_info':'blah'})
405 METHOD NOT ALLOWED

If we are working with instances we need to clear the class in order to be able to post again

> ticket.clear()
> ticket.post({'some':'data'})
POST '/cars/1/tickets/'