API Design Questions (2)

[Gervase Markham]

On 23/09/09 12:14, Gervase Markham wrote:
> Here are some things I've run into when designing the RESTful API.
> Perhaps people could tell me what they think the best option is.

And another one :-)

We update bugs with a PUT of a JSON representation:

{
   bug: { priority: P1, assigned_to: { name: gerv at mozilla.org, 
real_name: "Gervase Markham" }, ... }
}

(At the moment, users are always represented by "user objects" - hashes 
in the JSON interface - which can have a number of keys and values. This 
makes the API more understandable; it would be odd if assigned_to was a 
hash for data coming out, but a scalar for data going in. But obviously, 
when PUTting a new value, we only look at the "name" key.)

What is the best way of issuing meta-instructions, like "set assigned_to 
to default"?

Do you:

1) Not provide that feature?

2) have a magic value for the "assigned_to" in the bug hash:

{
   bug: { priority: P1, assigned_to: { default: 1 }, ... }
}

3) Support an extra bug hash key "set_default_assignee:

{
   bug: { priority: P1, set_default_assignee: 1, ... }
}

4) Have an additional "instructions" hash:

{
   bug: { priority: P1, ... }
   instructions: { set_default_assignee: 1 }
}

5) Something else?

Gerv
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