/Development-Flow

Development Flow

Step 1. API Development

A. Database

i. Creation

  • First, we create a database using a database service like SQL.

ii. Structure

  • We define models with fields that will store data.
model example: Asset

model field name example: asset_name

model field type example: string/character

B. Data

i. Validation

  • We define serializers, which are data validation tools.

i. Collection

  • We define API views for data collection.

C. Operations

i. Methods

  • We define methods, which determine the type of action to perform on the database.
example methods: update, delete, view, add

D. Security

i. Authentication

  • We set up authentication for the API to protect API views & data.

E. Exposure

i. Endpoints

  • We define endpoints, which will enable the communication between the server and the client.
  • Each endpoint is connected to an API View, which sends or retrieves data to/from the database.

F. Testing

i. Endpoints

  • We test each endpoint to ensure they perform the expected operations.

Step 2. Deployment

  • After all checks have passed, we deploy to a test environment or other environment.

Client - Server Communication

Part 1. HTTP Request (Client to Server)

A. API Consumption

i. API Endpoint

  • The client application sends a request to the server through an API endpoint (a user attempts to view, edit, add, or delete data).

ii. Endpoint Validation

  • The server confirms if the endpoint is valid/exists.
ENDPOINT INVALID
  • If the endpoint is not valid, the request is rejected.
  • The server sends an error response to the client.
ENDPOINT VALID
  • If the endpoint is valid, the request proceeds.

B. Security

i. Credentials Validation

  • The server confirms that the authentication credentials sent by the client are valid.
CREDENTIALS INVALID
  • If the credentials are invalid, the request is rejected.
  • The server sends an error response to the client.
CREDENTIALS VALID
  • If the credentials are valid, the request proceeds.

C. Operations

i. Method Validation

  • The server confirms that the method used by the client in the request is valid.
  • Methods perform different operations, like update, delete, view, and add data.
METHOD INVALID
  • If the method is invalid for the given endpoint, the request is rejected.
  • The server sends an error response to the client.
METHOD VALID
  • If the method is valid for the given endpoint, the request proceeds.

D. Requirements

i. Method Parameters

  • Each method has a parameter, which tells the server how to handle the requested operation.

ii. Parameter Validation

  • The server confirms that the data sent in the endpoint is valid for the endpoint's method parameters.
PARAMETER INVALID
  • If a parameter is invalid for the method associated with the endpoint, the request is rejected.
  • The server sends an error response to the client.
PARAMETER VALID
  • If all parameters are valid for the method associated with the endpoint, the request proceeds.

E. Data

i. Data Collection

  • Data received from the client is collected for processing.

ii. Data Validation

  • The data collected is passed into a serializer, which validates it.
DATA INVALID
  • If the data received is improperly formatted as per the specifications in the database, the request is rejected.
  • The server sends an error response to the client.
DATA VALID
  • If the data received is correctly formatted as per the specifications in the database, the request proceeds.

F. Database

i. Data Fetch / Manipulation

  • The client can now add/fetch data to/from the database, or manipulate it (edit, delete).
REQUEST FAILED
  • If there is any problem with the request to add, fetch, or manipulate data, the request fails.
  • The server sends an error response to the client.
REQUEST SUCCESSFUL
  • If there is no problem with the request, the server sends a successful response to the client.

Part 2. Response (Server to Client)

  • The response from the server to the client may include data and/or a status code.