/lab-express-routing

Express Routing Lab

Introduction

Note: This can be a pair programming activity or done independently.

We'e now seen how to write an app with Node and Express from scratch, so let's apply this concept again by creating another RESTful API using Express.

A kid has come to you with an idea for an API to keep track of his candies. You love candies! So, you accept his proposal. You will create a resource Candy and use the kid's candy "data" to populate and post to your database. Check the additional resources at the bottom of this document to get some JSON data to add to your app as well, as well as some cURL examples to make sure your app works as expected!

Exercise

Requirements

  • Create an Express app from scratch
  • This app will only respond to JSON; it is just an API, so don't worry about the views
  • The resource Candy should be accessible via the endpoint /candies and be RESTful
  • Implement index,show, create, update, and destory functionality

Bonus:

  • Handle wrong responses with appropriate HTTP status and responses (404, 500, 422)
  • Add some validations for edit and update

Deliverable

An example app can be found in solution-code.

Once you spin up your local server, look below at the cURL commands curl cheat-sheet with the expected responses we want you to test on this app once you've finished building; the HTTP status should always be 2XX.

Index cURL Request

curl -XGET http://localhost:3000/candies
  • Expected Response
[{"id":1,"name":"Chewing Gum","color":"Red"},{"id":2,"name":"Pez","color":"Green"},{"id":3,"name":"Marshmallow","color":"Pink"},{"id":4,"name":"Candy Stick","color":"Blue"}]

Show cURL Request

curl -XGET http://localhost:3000/candies/3
  • Expected Response
{"id":3,"name":"Marshmallow","color":"Pink"}

Create cURL Request

curl -XPOST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name":"Jelly Bear","color":"orange"}' http://localhost:3000/candies
  • Expected Response 
    {"id":3,"name":"Marshmallow","color":"Pink"}

  • A second IndexcURL Request

    curl -XGET http://localhost:3000/candies
    • Expected Response
    [{"id":1,"name":"Chewing Gum","color":"Red"},{"id":2,"name":"Pez","color":"Green"},{"id":3,"name":"Marshmallow","color":"Pink"},{"id":4,"name":"Candy Stick","color":"Blue"},{"name":"Jelly Bear","color":"orange"}]

    Note: The new record is sent back !

Update cURL Request

curl -XPUT -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name":"Marshmallows","color":"white"}' http://localhost:3000/candies/3

Another Index Request

curl -XGET http://localhost:3000/candies
  • Expected Response
[{"id":1,"name":"Chewing Gum","color":"Red"},{"id":2,"name":"Pez","color":"Green"},{"name":"Marshmallows","color":"white"},{"id":4,"name":"Candy Stick","color":"Blue"}]

The record corresponding to the ID passed in the first request has been updated

Update cURL Request

curl -XDELETE http://localhost:3000/candies/2
  • Expected Response 
    {"message":"deleted"}

Index cURL request, again!

curl -XGET http://localhost:3000/candies
  • Expected Response
[{"id":1,"name":"Chewing Gum","color":"Red"},null,{"id":3,"name":"Marshmallow","color":"Pink"},{"id":4,"name":"Candy Stick","color":"Blue"}]

Note: The record corresponding to the ID passed in the first request has been deleted.

Additional Resources