How to make parameters Optional in node JS rest API

Question

We need to Expose REST endpoint. There are three parameters, how to make those optional. Requirement is it should work with any one of those parameters.

e.g. http://server:port/v1/api/test-api/userId/UnameName/userEmail

app.get('v1/api/test-api/:userId/:userName/:userEmail', function(req, res){

});

When we call by passing all three parameters it works fine. But we want to make it work by passing only userId or any of these three parameters. When we pass less parameters its giving error Cannot GET /v1/api/test-api/test5/123

How to make parameters optional while exposing endpoint?

What is the resource this API is accessing?

SomeKittens
– SomeKittens

2014-06-10 01:44:24 +00:00
Commented Jun 10, 2014 at 1:44 — SomeKittens
– SomeKittens, Commented Jun 10, 2014 at 1:44

thebiglebowski11 · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-10 00:58:53Z

13

you need to structure the route like this:

app.get('path/:required/:optional?*, ...)

answered Jun 10, 2014 at 0:58

thebiglebowski11

1,45110 gold badges42 silver badges76 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:29:18Z

8

A better solution would be to use GET parameters, e.g. a call to

http://server:port/v1/api/test-api?userId=123&userName=SomeKittens&userEmail=kittens%40example.com

You can then define your routes like:

app.get('v1/api/test-api', function(req, res){
  var userName = req.query.userName;
  var userEmail = req.query.userEmail;
  var userId = req.query.userId;

  // Do stuff
});

Don't forget to include body-parser (example)

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:29

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Jun 10, 2014 at 1:32

SomeKittens

39.6k19 gold badges117 silver badges145 bronze badges

Comments

lgargantini · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-23 08:37:49Z

1

Trying to add more clarity to @thebiglebowsy's answer, you could use:

required -> required1/required2/...

optional -> ?optional/?optional2/..

But, my advice is to generate a route per every posibility:

v1/api/test-api/:userId/

v1/api/test-api/:userId/:userName

v1/api/test-api/:userId/:userName/:userEmail

I had several issues using with optional routes

edited Mar 23, 2015 at 8:37

answered Mar 23, 2015 at 7:20

lgargantini

8756 silver badges6 bronze badges

Comments

kj007 · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-16 10:04:19Z

1

Alternate way, you can check whether what you have received in your input request parameters and put validations or capture values accordingly..

app.post('/v1/api/test-api', function(req, res) {
    var parameters = [];
    if(req.body.userName !== undefined) {
         //DO SOMEHTING
         parameters.push({username: req.body.userName});
    }
    if(req.body.userId !== undefined) {
        //DO SOMEHTING

       parameters.push({userId: req.body.userId});
   }
   if(req.body.userEmail !== undefined) {
      //DO SOMEHTING
      parameters.push({userEmail: req.body.userEmail});
   }

   res.json({receivedParameters: parameters});

});

answered Sep 16, 2015 at 10:04

kj007

6,2645 gold badges31 silver badges47 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to make parameters Optional in node JS rest API

4 Answers 4

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

4 Answers 4

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related