No App Is An Island

Almost all apps rely on APIs, no app is an island, entire of itself. We want to keep our apps slick and simple, pushing complex logic to the server, allowing iOS devs to focus on shiny new user experiences. All the hipster develers are using microservices and deploying to the cloud, but what does that mean for your front end apps and APIs? At realestate.com.au, we're building simpler apps backed by smarter microservices using REST, hypermedia and HATEOAS, not just object.to_json. This session will demonstrate how to quickly build iOS apps to discover, consume and navigate these services using HAL JSON, and some nifty Objective C libraries for networking and functional-reactive goodness in a way 'future you' will be thankful for.

1. Stewart Gleadow @stewgleadow stew@rea-group.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/markselliott/48699538/ NO APP IS AN ISLAND
2. Mobile APIs: More than just object.to_json Stewart Gleadow @stewgleadow stew@rea-group.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/markselliott/48699538/
3. Stewart Gleadow @stewgleadow stew@rea-group.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/markselliott/48699538/ NO APP IS AN ISLAND
5. Mobile APIs and REST ›❯ Discoverable iOS APIs ›❯ Evolving APIs and mobile apps ›❯ Simple apps, smart backends ›❯
6. Mobile APIs and REST ›❯ Discoverable iOS APIs ›❯ Evolving APIs and mobile apps ›❯ Simple apps, smart backends ›❯
7. Is there an API for that? Can I see your API?
8. POST /InStock HTTP/1.1 Host: www.example.org Content-Type: application/soap+xml; charset=utf-8 Content-Length: 299 SOAPAction: "http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope" <?xml version="1.0"?> <soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope"> <soap:Header> </soap:Header> <soap:Body> <m:GetStockPrice xmlns:m="http://www.example.org/stock"> <m:StockName>IBM</m:StockName> </m:GetStockPrice> </soap:Body> </soap:Envelope>
9. We have a REST API, just construct one of these “RESTful calls”
13. http://schmidtbrotherscutlery.com/blog/tag/crocodile-dundee/ THAT’S NOT AN API http://www.flickr.com/photos/juan-alogico/10935384913/
14. http://schmidtbrotherscutlery.com/blog/tag/crocodile-dundee/ THAT’S NOT AN API http://www.flickr.com/photos/juan-alogico/10935384913/
15. How should we build our API?
16. Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
17. Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 The swamp of POX
18. Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 The swamp of POX URIs and Resources
19. Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 The swamp of POX URIs and Resources HTTP verbs and status codes
20. Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 The swamp of POX URIs and Resources HTTP verbs and status codes Hypermedia controls
21. Roy Fielding - http://roy.gbiv.com/untangled/2008/rest-apis-must-be-hypertext-driven
22. “What needs to be done to make the REST architectural style clear on the notion that hypertext is a constraint?” Roy Fielding - http://roy.gbiv.com/untangled/2008/rest-apis-must-be-hypertext-driven
23. “What needs to be done to make the REST architectural style clear on the notion that hypertext is a constraint?” Roy Fielding - http://roy.gbiv.com/untangled/2008/rest-apis-must-be-hypertext-driven “Is there some broken manual somewhere that needs to be fixed?”
24. “What needs to be done to make the REST architectural style clear on the notion that hypertext is a constraint?” Roy Fielding - http://roy.gbiv.com/untangled/2008/rest-apis-must-be-hypertext-driven “Is there some broken manual somewhere that needs to be fixed?” “Please try to adhere to them or choose some other buzzword for your API.”
25. http://www.flickr.com/photos/50144889@N08/8711099493/ This guy is possibly an island…
26. Mobile APIs and REST ›❯ Discoverable iOS APIs ›❯ Evolving APIs and mobile apps ›❯ Simple apps, smart backends ›❯
27. http://www.flickr.com/photos/calsidyrose/4925267732/ Navigating your API
28. http://www.flickr.com/photos/calsidyrose/4925267732/ Navigating your API Paths to resources within a service change The location of service endpoints change
29. HAL JSON: Standardized hypermedia links in JSON
30. Example: Sign in and retrieve user details
31. POST “http://example.com/session” { email : "dundee", password : "password" } HTTP/1.1 201 Created { user_id : “c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd” } Sign in request Sign in response
32. POST “http://example.com/session” { email : "dundee", password : "password" } HTTP/1.1 201 Created { user_id : “c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd” } Which actions are available now? Where do I perform those actions? Sign in request Sign in response
33. POST “http://example.com/session” { email : "dundee", password : "password" } HTTP/1.1 201 Created { user_id : “c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd” } Which actions are available now? Where do I perform those actions? Sign in request Sign in response
34. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.userId = response[@"user_id"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
35. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.userId = response[@"user_id"]; } failure:nil]; NSString *detailsUrl = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"http://example.com/details?id=%@", self.userId]; [self.manager GET:detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
36. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.userId = response[@"user_id"]; } failure:nil]; NSString *detailsUrl = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"http://example.com/details?id=%@", self.userId]; [self.manager GET:detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
37. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.userId = response[@"user_id"]; } failure:nil]; NSString *detailsUrl = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"http://example.com/details?id=%@", self.userId]; [self.manager GET:detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
38. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.userId = response[@"user_id"]; } failure:nil]; NSString *detailsUrl = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"http://example.com/details?id=%@", self.userId]; [self.manager GET:detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
39. Response HTTP/1.1 201 Created { user_id : “c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd”, _links : { details : { href : “http://example.com/users/c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd/details” } } }
40. Response HTTP/1.1 201 Created { user_id : “c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd”, _links : { details : { href : “http://example.com/users/c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd/details” } } } Which actions are available now? Where do I perform those actions?
41. Response HTTP/1.1 201 Created { user_id : “c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd”, _links : { details : { href : “http://example.com/users/c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd/details” } } } Which actions are available now? Where do I perform those actions?
42. Response HTTP/1.1 201 Created { user_id : “c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd”, _links : { details : { href : “http://example.com/users/c3Rld0ByZWEtZ3Jvd/details” } } } Which actions are available now? Where do I perform those actions?
43. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.userId = response[@"user_id"]; } failure:nil]; NSString *detailsUrl = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"http://example.com/details?id=%@", self.user_id]; [self.manager GET:detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
44. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.detailsUrl = response[@"_links"][@"details"][@"href"]; } failure:nil]; [self.manager GET:self.detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
45. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.detailsUrl = response[@"_links"][@"details"][@"href"]; } failure:nil]; [self.manager GET:self.detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
46. NSDictionary *params = @{ @"email" : @"dundee", @"password" : @"password" }; self.manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [self.manager POST:@"http://example.com/session" parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.detailsUrl = response[@"_links"][@"details"][@"href"]; } failure:nil]; [self.manager GET:self.detailsUrl parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:nil]; Sign in & get details from an iOS client
47. Create discoverable service endpoints http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_Map_1689.JPG
48. GET “http://example.com/services” ... HTTP/1.1 200 OK { _links : { signIn : { name : “Authenticate a user”, href : “http://example.com/session” }, suggest : { name : “Retrieve suburb suggestions matching a string”, href : “http://suggest.realestate.com.au/suggest{?query}”, templated : true }, ... } }
49. GET “http://example.com/services” ... HTTP/1.1 200 OK { _links : { signIn : { name : “Authenticate a user”, href : “http://example.com/session” }, suggest : { name : “Retrieve suburb suggestions matching a string”, href : “http://suggest.realestate.com.au/suggest{?query}”, templated : true }, ... } } RFC-6570 (using CSURITemplate for iOS)
50. Chaining multiple requests gets messy
51. [self.manager GET:@"http://example.com/services" parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op1, NSDictionary *servicesResponse) { NSString *signInEndpoint = servicesResponse[@"_links"][@"signIn"][@"href"]; [self.manager POST:signInEndpoint parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op2, NSDictionary *signInResponse) { NSString *detailsEndpoint = signInResponse[@"_links"][@"details"][@"href"]; [self.manager GET:detailsEndpoint parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op3, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op3, NSError *error) { self.status.text = @"Failed to get user details."; }]; } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op2, NSError *error) { self.status.text = @"Failed to sign in."; }]; } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op1, NSError *error) { self.status.text = @"Failed to configure service"; }]; Chaining multiple requests gets messy
52. [self.manager GET:@"http://example.com/services" parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op1, NSDictionary *servicesResponse) { NSString *signInEndpoint = servicesResponse[@"_links"][@"signIn"][@"href"]; [self.manager POST:signInEndpoint parameters:params success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op2, NSDictionary *signInResponse) { NSString *detailsEndpoint = signInResponse[@"_links"][@"details"][@"href"]; [self.manager GET:detailsEndpoint parameters:nil success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op3, NSDictionary *response) { self.name.text = response[@"name"]; self.phone.text = response[@"phone"]; } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op3, NSError *error) { self.status.text = @"Failed to get user details."; }]; } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op2, NSError *error) { self.status.text = @"Failed to sign in."; }]; } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *op1, NSError *error) { self.status.text = @"Failed to configure service"; }]; Chaining multiple requests gets messy
53. ReactiveCocoa to the rescue
54. NSString *services = @"http://example.com/services"; RACSignal *userDetailsSignal = [[[[[[self.manager rac_getPath:services] map:^NSString *(NSDictionary *response) { return response[@"_links"][@"signIn"][@"href"]; }] flattenMap:^RACSignal *(NSString *signInEndpoint) { return [self.manager rac_postPath:signInEndpoint parameters:params]; }] map:^NSString *(NSDictionary *response) { return response[@"_links"][@"details"][@"href"]; }] flattenMap:^RACSignal *(NSString *detailsEndpoint) { return [self.manager rac_getPath:detailsEndpoint]; }] replayLast]; ReactiveCocoa to the rescue
55. NSString *services = @"http://example.com/services"; RACSignal *userDetailsSignal = [[[[[[self.manager rac_getPath:services] map:^NSString *(NSDictionary *response) { return response[@"_links"][@"signIn"][@"href"]; }] flattenMap:^RACSignal *(NSString *signInEndpoint) { return [self.manager rac_postPath:signInEndpoint parameters:params]; }] map:^NSString *(NSDictionary *response) { return response[@"_links"][@"details"][@"href"]; }] flattenMap:^RACSignal *(NSString *detailsEndpoint) { return [self.manager rac_getPath:detailsEndpoint]; }] replayLast]; ReactiveCocoa to the rescue
56. Mobile APIs and REST ›❯ Discoverable iOS APIs ›❯ Evolving APIs and mobile apps ›❯ Simple apps, smart backends ›❯
57. Some people, when confronted with a problem, think "I know, I'll use versioning." Now they have 2.1.0 problems. - Brandon Byars http://martinfowler.com/articles/enterpriseREST.html
58. 0% 25.00% 50.00% 75.00% 100.00% 1 Mar 2013 12 Mar 2013 23 Mar 2013 3 Apr 2013 1.12.2 1.11.2 1.11.1 1.11.0 1.10.0 Update rate on iOS 6
59. 0% 25.00% 50.00% 75.00% 100.00% 26 Sep 2013 9 Oct 2013 22 Oct 2013 4 Nov 2013 17 Nov 2013 30 Nov 2013 2.2.0 2.1.0 2.0.2 2.0.0 1.14.2 Update rate on iOS 7
60. agency : { name: ”You Can Trust Me Real Estate”, website: “http://you-can-trust-me-realestate.com.au”, address: { display: “15 Victoria St, Richmond 3121”, street: “15 Victoria St”, suburb: “Richmond”, postcode: “3121”, } } Tolerant JSON parsing
61. agency : { name: ”You Can Trust Me Real Estate”, website: “http://you-can-trust-me-realestate.com.au”, address: { display: “15 Victoria St, Richmond 3121”, street: “15 Victoria St”, suburb: “Richmond”, postcode: “3121”, } } Agency *agency = [Agency new]; agency.name = [json stringValueForKey:@"name"]; agency.address = [json stringValueForKeyPath:@"address.display"]; Tolerant JSON parsing
62. Links as remote feature toggles
63. Encourage updates to the latest version
64. Encourage updates to the latest version
65. Listing API User API Isolate your apps from backend changes Legacy Thing External System
66. Listing API User API Mobile API Isolate your apps from backend changes Legacy Thing External System
67. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3007/2655233117_7d5feaa305_o_d.jpg This guy is almost definitely an island…
68. Mobile APIs and REST ›❯ Discoverable iOS APIs ›❯ Evolving APIs and mobile apps ›❯ Simple apps, smart backends ›❯
69. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakecaptive/3205277810 Forcing logic to the server
70. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakecaptive/3205277810 Forcing logic to the server What if you could only use NSDictionary objects for your domain model?
71. landSize : { size: 1440, units: “metres squared” }
72. landSize : { size: 1440, units: “metres squared”, display: “Land size: 1440 m²” }
73. landSize : { size: 1440, units: “metres squared”, display: “Land size: 1440 m²” } Less logic in the iOS client!
74. features: { outdoor: [ {garage: 2}, ], indoor: [ “air-conditioning”, “alarm-system”, ... {ensuite: 1} ] }
75. features: [ { label: “Outdoor Features”, features: [ “Garage: 2”, ] }, { label: “Indoor Features”, features: [ “Air Conditioning”, “Alarm System”, ... “Ensuite: 1” ] } ]
76. <h3>Outdoor Features</h3> <ul> <li>Garage: 2</li> </ul> <h3> Indoor Features </h3> <ul> <li>Air Conditioning</li> <li>Alarm System</li> ... <li>Ensuite: 1</li> </ul>
77. Sometimes you need to format data on the client
78. Sometimes you need to format data on the client
80. Using an icon font for beds, baths, carparks
81. propertyFeatures: { display: “\e021 4 \e022 1 \e023 2” } Using an icon font for beds, baths, carparks
82. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MeditationsMarcusAurelius1811.jpg Almost found it, wrong author
83. Mobile APIs and REST ›❯ Discoverable iOS APIs ›❯ Evolving APIs and mobile apps ›❯ Simple apps, smart backends ›❯
84. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pont_du_Gard_HDR.jpg Adopt a standard way of linking your data
85. Reduce coupling using hypermedia http://www.flickr.com/photos/peternijenhuis/6959653638/
86. Keep the app to just the tip of the iceberg
87. Write mobile clients that make future versions easy http://www.flickr.com/photos/setaou/2935943672/
88. Thank you Stewart Gleadow @stewgleadow stew@rea-group.com
89. References John Donne, No Man Is An Island http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation_XVII Martin Fowler, Richardson Maturity Model http://martinfowler.com/articles/richardsonMaturityModel.html Leonard Richardson, Justice Will Take Us Millions Of Intricate Moves http://www.crummy.com/writing/speaking/2008-QCon/act3.html Roy Fielding - REST APIs Must Be Hypertext Driven http://roy.gbiv.com/untangled/2008/rest-apis-must-be-hypertext-driven Leonard Richardson, API Design is Stuck in 2008 http://blog.programmableweb.com/2013/10/07/api-design-is-stuck-in-2008/ Cam Barrie, Design your API, Mother %$^ http://vimeo.com/61342270 Mike Kelly, HAL JSON http://stateless.co/hal_specification.html
90. References Perryn Fowler, Richardson Maturity Model By Example http://prezi.com/1-0gtuokjcqo/rmm-by-example/ The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), RFC 6570 - URI Template http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6570 Wikipedia, RSDL: RESTful Service Description Language http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSDL Jim Webber, Savas Parastatidis, Ian Robinson; REST in Practice http://restinpractice.com/book/ Leonard Richardson, Sam Ruby; RESTful Web Services http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596529260.do Martin Fowler, Tolerant Reader http://martinfowler.com/bliki/TolerantReader.html Ronald Holshausen, Testing Interactions With Web Services Without Integration Tests In Ruby http://techblog.realestate.com.au/testing-interactions-with-web-services-without-integration-tests-in-ruby/
91. References Ian Robinson, Consumer Driven Contracts http://martinfowler.com/articles/consumerDrivenContracts.html Brandon Byars, Enterprise REST http://martinfowler.com/articles/enterpriseREST.html Steve Klabnik, Designing Hypermedia APIs http://www.designinghypermediaapis.com/index.html Jon Moore, Hypermedia APIs http://s3.amazonaws.com/cimlabs/Oredev-Hypermedia-APIs.pdf Sam Ramji, Darwin's Finches, 20th Century Business, and APIs: Evolve your Business Model http://vimeo.com/11511078 Cogenta Systems, CSURITemplate https://github.com/cogenta/CSURITemplate Mattt Thompson, AFNetworking https://github.com/AFNetworking/AFNetworking