Introduction to Endpoints

As you might have guessed, the endpoints model defines the API endpoints by using data models for its request and response schema definitions. The endpoints model type differs in its structure, as it represents how data is communicated, and it slightly drifts off from the core idea of data modeling. Nevertheless, endpoints are a fundamental part of how data and data models are used, and it is extremely powerful to have both data models and API definitions in one place.

Without further ado, let's see how a simple endpoints model would look like.

cd to sampleDir/models/User, and make sure you still have the User.core.js file from the Enriching The Model article. Then, create a new file, called User.endpoints.js, and add the following endpoint definitions to it.

const UserCore = require('./User.core.js').default;

const User = {
  '/users': {
    put: {
      description: 'Update a user',
      operationId: 'updateUser',
      request: {
        body: UserCore,
      },
      response: {
        '200': {
          description: 'Returns the updated user',
          body: UserCore,
        },
      },
    },
  },

  '/users/{id}': {
    get: {
      description: 'Get a single user',
      operationId: 'getUser',
      request: {
        path: {
          id: UserCore.id,
        },
      },
      response: {
        '200': {
          description: 'Returning the user model',
          body: UserCore,
        },
      },
    },
  },
};

exports.default = User;

In the above model, we have defined a /users endpoint that has a PUT method and a /users/{id} endpoint that defines a GET method, each with specified request and response definition. As you can see, we have used the core of our User model to specify the request and response data (although you will probably shrink or extend it as necessary). For all supported properties for the endpoints model type, visit the endpoints model page.

Before we use our endpoints model, let's diverge a bit and talk about how injectors can be chained in the next article.