Self-documentation for representational state transfer (REST) application programming interface (API)

• US 9,959,363 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2014
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kaplinger, Todd E., Moore, Victor S., Nusbickel, Wendi L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Andrew N
• Application Number:
  US14/315,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20150378994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 707722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/88 Mark-up to mark-up conversion conversion for visualization in web browsing G06F16/9577
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

In an approach for documenting a representational state transfer (REST) resource. A processor monitors input JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data and output JSON data of a REST resource of an application. A processor converts a set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource to a self-documenting interchange format. A processor stores the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource.

Claims

1. A method for documenting a representational state transfer (REST) resource, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a REST resource of an application is being accessed;

externally monitoring, by one or more processors, usage of the REST resource of the application utilizing a JAX-RS/servlet filter, including input JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data to the REST resource of the application and output JSON data from the REST resource of the application, wherein the REST resource is provided by Java API for RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS);

determining, by one or more processors, whether a schema file exists for the REST resource of the application;

responsive to determining that the schema file does not exist, capturing, by one or more processors, a set of data from the monitored input JSON data to the REST resource of the application and the monitored output JSON data from the REST resource of the application;

converting, by one or more processors, the captured set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data Extensible Markup Language (XML) Schema (XSD);

storing, by one or more processors, the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data;

receiving a request for documentation for the REST resource;

retrieving, by one or more processors, the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource;

generating, by one or more processors, documentation for the REST resource, wherein the documentation is Web Application Description Language (WADL) format;

inserting, by one or more processors, the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data within the documentation for the REST resource; and

returning, by one or more processors, the documentation with the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data further comprises:

associating, by one or more processors, the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data with the application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data comprises:

storing, by one or more processors, the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data according to a naming convention, wherein the naming convention includes at least a name of the REST resource, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) method, and an indication of the converted set of data is from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data.

4. A computer program product for documenting a representational state transfer (REST) resource, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media, wherein the one or more computer readable storage media is not a transitory signal per se, and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive an indication that a REST resource of an application is being accessed;

program instructions to externally monitor usage of the REST resource of the application utilizing a JAX-RS/servlet filter, including input JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data to the REST resource of the application and output JSON data of a from the REST resource of the application, wherein the REST resource is provided by Java API for RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS);

program instructions to determine whether a schema file exists for the REST resource of the application;

program instructions to, responsive to determining that the schema file does not exist, capture a set of data from the monitored input JSON data to the REST resource of the application and the monitored output JSON data from the REST resource of the application;

program instructions to convert the captured set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data to Extensible Markup Language (XML) Schema (XSD);

program instructions to store the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data;

program instructions to receive a request for documentation for the REST resource;

program instructions to retrieve the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource;

program instructions to generate documentation for the REST resource, wherein the documentation is Web Application Description Language (WADL) format;

program instructions to insert the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data within the documentation for the REST resource; and

program instructions to return the documentation with the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein program instructions to store the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data further comprise:

program instructions to associate the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data with the application.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein program instructions to store the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data comprise:

program instructions to store the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data according to a naming convention, wherein the naming convention includes at least a name of the REST resource, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) method, and an indication of the converted set of data is from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data.

7. A computer system for documenting a representational state transfer (REST) resource, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer processors, one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive an indication that a REST resource of an application is being accessed;

program instructions to externally monitor usage of the REST resource of the application utilizing a JAX-RS/servlet filter, including input JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data to the REST resource of the application and output JSON data from the REST resource of the application, wherein the REST resource is provided by Java API for RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS);

program instructions to determine whether a schema file exists for the REST resource of the application;

program instructions to, responsive to determining that the schema file does not exist, capture a set of data from the monitored input JSON data to the REST resource of the application and the monitored output JSON data from the REST resource of the application;

program instructions to convert the captured set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data to Extensible Markup Language (XML) Schema (XSD);

program instructions to store the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data;

program instructions to receive a request for documentation for the REST resource;

program instructions to retrieve the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource;

program instructions to generate documentation for the REST resource, wherein the documentation is Web Application Description Language (WADL) format;

program instructions to insert the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data within the documentation for the REST resource; and

program instructions to return the documentation with the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein program instructions to store the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource further comprise:

program instructions to associate the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource with the application.