DIY API — Homework

Deliverable:

For our first MERN app mini project you will be building a personal blog (longterm feel free to use this for outcomes!). First, it's time to make your own API!

Using what you have learned about Express, Express Routing, RESTful routing, CRUD operations, and Mongoose, use the Mongoose ODM to implement full CRUD functionality on a model (subject of your choosing).

What is a MERN App?

MERN is an acronym for an app that utilizes Mongo/Mongoose and Express for the backend (typically an API layer), and React/Node for the frontend.

How we make it work:

we will build an express server that makes mongoose CRUD requests to a Mongo db.
we will build a React frontend that will make calls to our express API for any data.

Requirements:

The model you choose to use should have at least three fields, in addation to the default _id field.

Example:

field name	type
name	string
title	integer
content	string

Your API should be accessible via five routes:

Example:

Method	Action	URL	Functionality
GET	index	/blog	list all blog posts
POST	create	/blog	add a new blog post
GET	detail/show	/blog/:id	show one blog post
PUT	update	/blog/:id	update one blog post
DELETE	delete	/blog/:id	delete one blog post

Although the above suggested theme for your API is blogs, if you would like make an API with a different theme you may do so. However, your API must include the five routes listed above if you choose to theme your API differently.

Steps to Achieve

You will need to:

Fork and clone this repository!
Run npm init to start your node project.
Create a .gitignore and add everything to ignore
Create your Express App
Add Mongoose functionality!

Recommended Workflow:

Stub out your routes. For the purposes of initial declaration, res.json({message: "test"}) to make sure you're hitting them.
Link your model to your server.
Update your routes to "do something" and make the magic happen!

Part 2 -- Relational Data

Add a second model to your API. This model should relate to your first model via a 1:M relationship.

This the model relationship can be created with either an embedded document or a reference to another document.

Once added, update your GET and POST routes for this second model which allow you do the following with your API:

Show all elements from second model that relate to your element from first model at :id.
Add a new element to your original model that include related elements from this second model at :id.

The follow is an example an model digram and RESTful routing chart of adding comments to to the blog API. You may follow this example if you adding comments to the blog API example from before, or if you are feeling bold, you can create a differently themed data model.

Comment Model

field name	type
blog	ObjectId(ref to blog)
content	string

ROUTES