Yes, if it is possible to put the columns names in the url as Ayoma mentioned, we must use that(First i thought it is a complex payload you want to send).
Unless there are limitations, like column list doesn't exceed the url length limits, we should use GET. Thanks. On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 3:54 PM, Ayoma Wijethunga <ay...@wso2.com> wrote: > Hi, > > It is true that using GET request with a payload is not the best option. > Even though it is not strictly prohibited in specs, it can be confusing > [1]. REST architecture is very open about how we use HTTP methods, but > thinking in terms of REST architecture, I do not think using POST is also > the correct approach here [2] (maybe it is just the personal preference). > > Let me summaries few examples on how others have addressed the same > requirement with GET requests. > > Facebook Graph API is using "field" query parameter for this [3]. For > example : > > Following Graph API call > *https://graph.facebook.com/bgolub?fields=id,name,picture >> <https://graph.facebook.com/bgolub?fields=id,name,picture>* will only >> return the id, name, and picture in Ben's profile >> > > SharePoint syntax is not very eye candy [4][5], but it goes like : > > >> http://server/siteurl/_vti_bin/listdata.svc/DocumentsOne?$select=MyDocumentType,Title,Id&$expand=MyDocumentType >> > > YouTube API has the same in below form [6] : > > Example 1: Retrieve number of items in feed, index of >> first item in result set, and all entries in the feed: >> fields=openSearch:totalResults,openSearch:startIndex,entry >> > > LinkedIn has the same [7] > > >> https://api.linkedin.com/v1/people-search:(people:(id,first-name,last-name,positions:(id,title,summary,start-date,end-date,is-current,company:(id,name,type,size,industry,ticker)) >> > > IMO Facebook Graph API has the cleanest mechanism. > > I believe that if we use a similar format we will not have to introduce > new resource paths. Instead we'll be able to provide all the columns, > unless user specifically request limited set of fields with a query > parameter. WDYT? > > [1] > http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5216567/is-this-statement-correct-http-get-method-always-has-no-message-body > [2] https://spring.io/understanding/REST > [3] > https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/using-graph-api#fieldexpansion > [4] > http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/questions/118633/how-to-select-and-filter-list-items-lookup-column-with-sharepoint-2013-rest-feat > [5] > http://platinumdogs.me/2013/03/14/sharepoint-adventures-with-the-rest-api-part-1/ > [6] > https://developers.google.com/youtube/2.0/developers_guide_protocol_partial#Fields_Formatting_Rules > [7] https://developer.linkedin.com/docs/fields?u=0 > > Best Regards, > Ayoma. > > On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 8:13 PM, Lahiru Sandaruwan <lahi...@wso2.com> > wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> I think using a POST with a body, for retrieving information is fine >> considering the requirement. GET with body is not recommended. >> >> Thanks. >> >> On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 2:31 PM, Gimantha Bandara <giman...@wso2.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Hi all, >>> >>> >>> We have a REST API in DAS to retrieve records in a specific table. It >>> supports GET method with the following url format. >>> >>> /analytics/tables/{tableName}/{from}/{to}/{start}/{count} >>> >>> Sending a GET request to above url will give the records between given >>> "from", "to" time range starting from index "start" with "count" page >>> size. >>> >>> Now we need to change the API, so that the user can define the record >>> columns/fields he wants. Current API will return the records with all the >>> values/columns. To do that, we can allow the user to define the columns he >>> needs, in the payload. But it seems that having a payload with a GET is not >>> the convention/the best practice. >>> >>> POST can be used to send the column names as a payload, but here we are >>> not making any updates to {tableName} resource. We will be just retrieving >>> records using a POST. So it also seems not the convention/the best practice. >>> >>> The only solution I can think of is, having a different resource path to >>> get the records with only specified fields/columns. Are there any other >>> solutions? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Gimantha >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Architecture mailing list >>> architect...@wso2.org >>> https://mail.wso2.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/architecture >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> -- >> Lahiru Sandaruwan >> Committer and PMC member, Apache Stratos, >> Senior Software Engineer, >> WSO2 Inc., http://wso2.com >> lean.enterprise.middleware >> >> phone: +94773325954 >> email: lahi...@wso2.com blog: http://lahiruwrites.blogspot.com/ >> linked-in: http://lk.linkedin.com/pub/lahiru-sandaruwan/16/153/146 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Dev mailing list >> Dev@wso2.org >> http://wso2.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dev >> >> > > > -- > Ayoma Wijethunga > Software Engineer > WSO2, Inc.; http://wso2.com > lean.enterprise.middleware > > Mobile : +94 (0) 719428123 <+94+(0)+719428123> > Blog : http://www.ayomaonline.com > LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayoma > -- -- Lahiru Sandaruwan Committer and PMC member, Apache Stratos, Senior Software Engineer, WSO2 Inc., http://wso2.com lean.enterprise.middleware phone: +94773325954 email: lahi...@wso2.com blog: http://lahiruwrites.blogspot.com/ linked-in: http://lk.linkedin.com/pub/lahiru-sandaruwan/16/153/146
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