book

RESTful Web Clients

by Mike Amundsen

February 2017

Intermediate to advanced

350 pages

8h 1m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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What’s in This BookThe ChaptersThe DialoguesThe ArtworkWhat’s Not in This BookUser Interface DesignBasics of HypermediaProgramming with HTML, CSS, and JavaScriptSource CodeExternal ReferencesConventions Used in This BookO’Reilly SafariHow to Contact UsAcknowledgments
References
Credits
The Task Processing System (TPS) Web AppHTML from the ServerCommon Web Browser as the ClientObservationsThe Task Services Web APIWeb API Common PracticeDesigning the TPS Web APIImplementing the TPS Web APIObservationsSummaryReferences
The JSON Web API ClientObjectsAddressesActionsQuick SummaryThe JSON SPA ClientThe HTML ContainerThe Top-Level Parse LoopObjects, Addresses, and ActionsDealing with ChangeAdding a Field and FilterCoding a New ClientSummaryReferences
XML or JSON: Pick a Side!The New Crop of Hypermedia FormatsThe Fallacy of The Right OneReframing the ProblemThe Representor PatternSeparating Format from FunctionalityThe Selection AlgorithmAdapting and TranslatingA Server-Side ModelHandling the HTTP Accept HeaderImplementing the Message Translator PatternGeneral Representor ModulesThe WeSTL FormatA Sample RepresentorSummaryReferences
The HAL FormatLinksObjects and PropertiesEmbedded Links and ObjectsQuick SummaryThe HAL RepresentorLinksPropertiesEmbeddedSample TPS Output from the HAL RepresentorThe HAL SPA ClientThe HTML ContainerThe Top-Level Parse LoopLinksEmbeddedPropertiesHandling Actions for HALQuick SummaryDealing with ChangeAdding an ActionThe HAL-FORMS ExtensionThe SpecificationThe ImplementationSummaryReferences
What Problem Are You Solving?Double Diamond Model of DesignClosed Solution Versus Open SolutionModeling InteractionMaldonado’s MechanismsVerplank’s HumansA Hypermedia Interaction LoopThe Request, Parse, Wait LoopImplementing RPW in CodeHandling Verplank’s KNOW StepSummaryReferences
The Siren FormatEntitiesClassPropertiesLinksActionsSubEntitiesQuick SummaryThe Siren RepresentorThe Top-Level LoopClassPropertiesEntitiesActionsLinksSample TPS Output from the Siren RepresentorThe Siren SPA ClientThe HTML ContainerThe Top-Level Parse LoopLinksEntitiesPropertiesActionsQuick SummaryDealing with ChangeAdding the Email Field and FilterTesting the Email FieldThe Profile Object Description (POD) ExtensionThe POD SpecificationThe ImplementationDisplaying Objects in Siren Using PODQuick SummarySummaryReferences

Versioning for the InternetTCP/IP’s Robustness PrincipleHTTP’s Must IgnoreHTML’s Backward CompatibilityGuidelines for Non-Breaking ChangesAPI DesignersServer ImplementorsClient ImplementorsSummaryReferences
The Collection+JSON FormatLinksItemsQueriesTemplateErrorA Quick SummaryThe Collection+JSON RepresentorThe Top-Level Processing LoopLinksItemsQueriesTemplateErrorThe Collection+JSON SPA ClientThe HTML ContainerThe Top-Level Parse LoopLinksItemsQueriesTemplateErrorQuick SummaryDealing with ChangeAdding the Note Object to the TPS APICj and the OAA ChallengeQuick SummaryExtending Collection+JSONSupporting Improved Input with Cj-TypesThe Cj-Suggest ExtensionQuick SummarySummaryReferences
The Unix PhilosophyThe TPS Microservices at BigCoThe Tasks Service with Collection+JSONThe User Service with SirenThe Notes Service with HALOne Client to Rule Them AllThe Home ServiceThe Multiformat Client SPA ContainerThe Format-Switching Client UISummaryReferences
Chapter 1, Our HTML Roots and Simple Web APIsChapter 2, JSON ClientsChapter 3, The Representor PatternChapter 4, HAL ClientsChapter 5, The Challenge of Reusable Client AppsChapter 6, Siren ClientsChapter 7, Versioning and the WebChapter 8, Collection+JSON ClientsChapter 9, Hypermedia and Microservices
HardwareSoftwareLibrariesServices

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Appendix B. Tools and Resources

This is a list of the hardware, software, and services I used when assembling this book. I found all these tools useful and encourage you to check them out.

Hardware

Shuttle Cube PC: My home-office workstation is a Shuttle Cube PC with Intel Core i5 Processor, 8 GB RAM, 1 TB disk space, and a dual monitor (Dell Ultrasharp 21”) setup running XUbuntu 14.4.
Lenovo Carbon Laptop: When I was on the road, I usually brought along a Lenovo X1 Carbon with Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, and a 14” monitor running Windows 8.1 OS.
Google Pixel: Occasionally I carry a Google Chromebook Pixel Netbook with me. It has Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, and a 13” touchscreen.
Drawing tools: For this book project, I made a habit of drawing diagrams and flow charts to help me better visualize the ideas in the book. Most of the time I used a simple setup of 3” × 5” unlined note cards and Sharpie-brand Fine Point and Ultra Fine Point pens and then scanned those into the computer. I also occasionally used the LiveScribe3 Smartpen and paper to sketch out my ideas and automatically transfer them to the computer for editing and sharing.

Software

gedit: I edited most of this book using a locally installed copy of gedit. I like gedit because it is a very simple editor and is available on a wide range of OS platforms. I used it both to write the code and the text for the book.
Caret and Caret-T: Thomas Wilburn’s Caret and the related fork