My REST endpoints allow a `fields` parameter that specifies the requested fields...

sheeshkebab · on Nov 8, 2020

Solr had that for ages in their rest api. They even have more fancy, calculated fields someone could request.

https://lucene.apache.org/solr/guide/6_6/common-query-parame...

saberdancer · on Nov 7, 2020

And you can extend this pattern it by allowing "includes" which would signal to the backend to load and deliver the relations listed in the includes part of the query.

This alone makes it impossible to get backend to return god entities with dozens of relations without explicitly specifying them.

ldiracdelta · on Nov 7, 2020

I accomplish this with the same `?fields` query param and it is fractal. You can specify which _fields_ of the relations below the User you also want.

If `User` had `groups` and `groups` had `permissions`, then I can do:

    let results = await fetch('/rest/Users/?fields=' + JSON.stringify(
      {
        id: true,
        first_name: true,
        groups: {
          name: true,
          permissions: {
            name: true
          }
        }
      });

My system has its limitations however. It can't do relational constraints like GraphQL or renaming of fields, but it is likely the 20% that gets you 80% of the way.

andrewingram · on Nov 7, 2020

To be honest, once you can traverse relationships like this, you've basically just got GraphQL in disguise and might as well be using it. You're going to have all the same difficulties as GraphQL in making it perform well, but don't have the elegant (IMO) query language -- and lose some of the expressivity of fields/relations being able to accept arguments.

ldiracdelta · on Nov 8, 2020

Except I dont have to start with GraphQL. I can add the complexity when I need it instead of starting with complexity. Yes I finally got _one_ of the features of GraphQL, but I didn't have to swallow graphql or require everyone else to. They don't have to use the field specifier and it still looks very simple. In contrast to GraphQL.

ehutch79 · on Nov 7, 2020

This.

My endpoints also have fields that will only be sent if you specifically request them.

zaphirplane · on Nov 8, 2020

What about nested structures their fields ? You can definitely roll your own anything if the cost of the widely used solution doesn’t work for you