RESTful services with Drupal - in and out

Quick introduction on managing RESTful services with Drupal.
1) Drupal is the RESTful server
2) Drupal is the RESTful client managing data in MEAN stack

Code for the demo is at https://github.com/kalinchernev/Drupal-7/tree/master/restful_lecture

Transcript

1. RESTful with Drupal Easy and consistent data management presentation by Kalin Chernev
2. Agenda • What is REST? • 3 reasons to build and use RESTful APIs • Data management paradigm reminded • Data managed by Drupal • Data managed by a friend of Drupal • Considerations • Modules and tools • Resources
3. About • Drupalist from 2007 • Trainer • Web developer
4. What is REST Architectural style describes six constraints - Uniform Interface - Stateless - Cacheable - Client-Server - Layered System - Code on Demand (optional)
5. Simple and consistent way to manage data
6. Any device
7. Any technology Any technology stack which works via HTTP Name your server language: Python, Ruby, Java, NodeJS, PHP, .NET ...
8. Exchanging json files
9. Request / Response
10. Terminology to get you started • Resource URI • Endpoint • JSON • REST client • REST server
11. Remember? Data management at all CMS systems, boils down to simple: C R U D
12. CASE 1: Drupal is REST Server • We POST/GET jsons to manage Drupal • Data is managed in Drupal
13. Playing with the CRUD methods Endpoint Action Method /api/node CREATE POST /api/node VIEW ALL GET /api/:node_id VIEW SINGLE GET /api/:node_id UPDATE PUT /api/:node_id DELETE DELETE
14. In reality, one can almost always go a long way only using GET & POST
15. CASE 2: Drupal is REST Client • We POST/GET jsons to manage content outside Drupal • Data is contained outside Drupal Data is shown and managed in Drupal
16. Drops REST API Server Endpoint Action Method /drops CREATE POST /drops VIEW ALL GET /drops/:drop_id VIEW SINGLE GET /drops/:drop_id UPDATE PUT /drops/:drop_id DELETE DELETE
17. Drupal magic • hook_menu • hook_theme • helpers and callbacks
18. What do you get • Consistency and standardization • Separate responsibilities of development • Easy work • Core in D8 • Cacheable • Predictable development (to most part)
19. Considerations • API server uptime and performance • Large amounts of data transfer • Security • Data validation • Error handling • Apache configurations to hide server address
20. Drupal contrib modules • Services (totally rewritten for D7, good API) • Services Entity API (of course!) • RESTClient (from my experience) • cURL HTTP Request (helper to restclient) • Self Documenting REST API (D8) • REST UI (D8)
21. Tools • Advanced REST Client • Rest Console • Postman i.e. You need a REST Client for your browser
22. Resources • www.restapitutorial.com • REST in Drupal 8 core • Build a RESTful API Using Node and Express 4 by scotch.io • The code of the presentation (managing drops in MEAN from Drupal back-end)