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Rev

Interesting answer! For your last example, wouldn't it be more consistent with the [GET] format to do [PATCH] mail?markAsRead=true data: [{"id": 1}, {"id": 2}, {"id": 3}] (or even just data: {"ids": [1,2,3]})? Another benefit to this alternate approach is that you won't run up against "414 Request URI too long" errors if you're updating hundreds/thousands of resources in the collection.

rinogo
– rinogo

2016-08-22 23:40:02 +00:00
Commented Aug 22, 2016 at 23:40
@rinogo - actually no. This is the point I was making. The querystring is a filter for the records we want to act upon (eg. [GET] mail/1 gets the mail record with an id of 1, whereas [GET] mail?markasRead=true returns mail where markAsRead is already true). It makes no sense to patch to that same URL (ie. "patch the records where markAsRead=true") when in fact we want to patch particular records with ids 1,2,3, REGARDLESS of the current status of the field markAsRead. Hence the method I described. Agree there is a problem with updating many records. I'd build a less tightly coupled endpoint.

fezfox
– fezfox

2016-08-24 00:23:01 +00:00
Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 0:23
Unfortunately, this breaks down as you approach URL string max length, considering resource IDs are typically 20+ character UIDs. Updating for example a flag or status on a large number of records is a common requirement.

Half_Duplex
– Half_Duplex

2022-03-22 19:34:27 +00:00
Commented Mar 22, 2022 at 19:34

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