How I explained REST to my brother

SuperAgent

SuperAgent is light-weight progressive ajax API crafted for flexibility, readability, and a low learning curve after being frustrated with many of the existing request APIs. It also works with Node.js!

    request
.post('/api/pet')
.send({ name: 'Manny', species: 'cat' })
.set('X-API-Key', 'foobar')
.set('Accept', 'application/json')
.then(res => {
  alert('yay got ' + JSON.stringify(res.body));
 });

Request basics

• A request can be initiated by invoking the appropriate method on the request object, then calling .then() (or .end() or await) to send the request. For example a simple GET request:

    request
    .get('/search')
     .then(res => {
      // res.body, res.headers, res.status
      })
     .catch(err => {
       // err.message, err.response
      });
  

• HTTP method may also be passed as a string:

    request('GET', '/search').then(success, failure);
  

• Old-style callbacks are also supported, but not recommended. Instead of .then() you can call .end():

    request('GET', '/search').end(function(err, res){
    if (res.ok) {}
    });
  

• Absolute URLs can be used. In web browsers absolute URLs work only if the server implements CORS.

     request
    .get('https://example.com/search')
    .then(res => {
  
    });
  

GET requests

• The .query() method accepts objects, which when used with the GET method will form a query-string. The following will produce the path /search?query=Manny&range=1..5&order=desc.

    request
     .get('/search')
     .query({ query: 'Manny' })
     .query({ range: '1..5' })
     .query({ order: 'desc' })
     .then(res => {
  
      });
  

• Or as a single object:

    request
     .get('/search')
    .query({ query: 'Manny', range: '1..5', order: 'desc' })
    .then(res => {
  
      });
  

• The .query() method accepts strings as well:

      request
       .get('/querystring')
      .query('search=Manny&range=1..5')
      .then(res => {
  
       });
  

• Or joined:

    request
             .get('/querystring')
             .query('search=Manny')
             .query('range=1..5')
                   .then(res => {
  
               });
  

References:

• How I explained REST to my brother Read the full article here

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