3 ms·

I don't think it's search because the server must provide a response for each resource or an error. If one resource is missing the server should return an error

I don't think it's search because the server must provide a response for each resource or an error. If one resource is missing the server should return an error. --- Concerning the post I would move it to `ask HN` but I don't know how to do that. Perhaps I need more karma?

niftich 10y ago
If you need separate responses for each resource, why not make separate requests in the first place? - OR - You can design a structured format that communicates the information you want. For example, a format based on JSON with an array of objects, or a format based on JSON with an key-value map of objects (ie. object of objects).
- themihai 10y ago
  Well that's exactly what I need: A format that communicates structured data, friendly with GET requests and backward compatible with query string encoding. Why there is no such format/standard yet? Is it that unusual?
  - niftich 10y ago
    There are ready-made mediatypes to communicate collections; some have even been registered as mediatypes with IANA. A simple one that would meet your needs is Collection+JSON [1]. There are others. This blog post [2] from 2014 lists some from a hypermedia perspective, although you may find some of these formats excessive for what you're trying to accomplish. Before JSON became a favorite for HTTP APIs, there used to be XML-based ones as well. AtomPub is a very good protocol, which defines an 'application/atomcoll+xml' mediatype for collections [3] [1] http://amundsen.com/media-types/collection/ http://amundsen.com/media-types/collection/ [2] http://sookocheff.com/post/api/on-choosing-a-hypermedia-format/ http://sookocheff.com/post/api/on-choosing-a-hypermedia-form... [3] http://bitworking.org/projects/atom/draft-ietf-atompub-protocol-04.html#collection_resource http://bitworking.org/projects/atom/draft-ietf-atompub-proto...

3 ms·

I don't think it's search because the server must provide a response for each resource or an error. If one resource is missing the server should return an error

by themihai 10y ago

niftich 10y ago
If you need separate responses for each resource, why not make separate requests in the first place? - OR - You can design a structured format that communicates the information you want. For example, a format based on JSON with an array of objects, or a format based on JSON with an key-value map of objects (ie. object of objects).
- themihai 10y ago
  Well that's exactly what I need: A format that communicates structured data, friendly with GET requests and backward compatible with query string encoding. Why there is no such format/standard yet? Is it that unusual?
  - niftich 10y ago
    There are ready-made mediatypes to communicate collections; some have even been registered as mediatypes with IANA. A simple one that would meet your needs is Collection+JSON [1]. There are others. This blog post [2] from 2014 lists some from a hypermedia perspective, although you may find some of these formats excessive for what you're trying to accomplish. Before JSON became a favorite for HTTP APIs, there used to be XML-based ones as well. AtomPub is a very good protocol, which defines an 'application/atomcoll+xml' mediatype for collections [3] [1] http://amundsen.com/media-types/collection/ http://amundsen.com/media-types/collection/ [2] http://sookocheff.com/post/api/on-choosing-a-hypermedia-format/ http://sookocheff.com/post/api/on-choosing-a-hypermedia-form... [3] http://bitworking.org/projects/atom/draft-ietf-atompub-protocol-04.html#collection_resource http://bitworking.org/projects/atom/draft-ietf-atompub-proto...