Quick Start: Build Your First API
Let's build an API to manage stocks in a portfolio and deploy the API to the cloud so it is available for any user to test drive and give feedback.
Step 1: Create a Project
After you log in, first create a project by clicking on the "+" button beside the Choose Project select box,
enter the project name & description on form on the the right side and click the Add Project button.
Let's Build this API
The following REST API will support CRUD for portfolios and stocks in portfolios and we'll support GrapbQL as well:
| /portfolios | |
| /portfolios/{id}/stocks | |
Step 2: Create Portfolio Resource
First let's create/model our Portfolio and Stock Resources.
We will create the Portfolio Resource using the Form builder. Add add each property and then click Create. We'll just add a name property for now. Look to the Resources on the left and you will see the Portolio Resource.
Note, after the Resource is created, you'll see a Data component in the Database called portfolios. We will add portfolio objects or instances later.
Step 3: Create Stock Resource
We will create the Stock Resource using the paste JSON feature. Copy and paste a JSON example for a Stock Resource and click Create. Look to the Resources on the left and you will see the Stock Resource. And note our JSON had a nested object called exchange, you'll see on the left in the Data Types section called Exchange.
After the Stock Resource is created, you'll see a Data component in the Database called stocks. We will add stocks objects or instances next.
Step 4: Add Data
See the Database option on the left and click on Data. You will see the Data collections on the left. Click on the portfolios link and add a portfolio with id = 1 as seen below.
Note, if no id is provided, a UUID is provided by default. For this example, delete the example data that was auto generated with an UUID id.
Next click on the stocks link and add a Stock with id = 1 as seen below.
Step 5: Create REST Paths
When a Resource is created, and for convenience, a default path is created for that resource based on the name. Click on API Paths on the left, you'll see the paths for stocks and portfolios that were auto-created.
We now will create a REST Path for portfolios/{id}/stocks. Click Create a Path and specify the Resource and select collection. Single resource is when only one instance of the Resource.
On the left navigation, you'll see the Database section. For each path you created, you can add/remove/delete example data for the collection.
Now let's add a stock to a portfolio. Choose the Add Collection, we'll add a stock to portfolio with id = 1 as seen below.
Step 6. GraphQL
Let's make some queries using GraphQL. The following examples illustrate GraphQL queries on your data.
List Portfolios
Create Portfolio
Update Portfolio
List stocks in a Portfolio. Note, GraphQL uses nested paths as properties, for example, portfolios/{id}/stocks data would be queried as follows:
Step 7. Let's deploy the API to the cloud
Click on Endpoints, click on Deploy and configure the form on the right. Enter the names as shown below and click create.
You'll see all the information for the Endpoint with the URL at the top of page. You can instantly send requests to your new Endpoint, a curl command is provided, or use PostMan/Insomnia, etc. to send CRUD requests to your Endpoint.
More prototype artifacts are provided as below.
Further down on the Endpoint screen, you will see the endpoint keys. You will give an access key to your external users to send API requests, such as the following using the full access key:
curl -H "x-endpoint-key:fff089056d6144fc9530c557937af63e" https://api.restpoint.io/api/portfolios
You can view your Endpoint API's using Swagger UI or ReDoc. Simply copy the URL to your browser, note the Endpoint key provided by default is full access.