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REST API Tutorial with RESTHeart

This tutorial introduces RESTHeart’s MongoDB REST API through simple examples. You’ll learn the basics of querying and modifying data using standard HTTP methods.

🔧 Configuration

Sets localhost:8080 with admin:secret
Values are saved in your browser

Create and populate the inventory collection

cURL

curl -i -X PUT [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]"

curl -i -X POST [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[
   { "item": "journal", "qty": 25, "size": { "h": 14, "w": 21, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "A" },
   { "item": "notebook", "qty": 50, "size": { "h": 8.5, "w": 11, "uom": "in" }, "status": "A" },
   { "item": "paper", "qty": 100, "size": { "h": 8.5, "w": 11, "uom": "in" }, "status": "D" },
   { "item": "planner", "qty": 75, "size": { "h": 22.85, "w": 30, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "D" },
   { "item": "postcard", "qty": 45, "size": { "h": 10, "w": 15.25, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "A" }
  ]'

HTTPie

http PUT [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]"

echo '[
   { "item": "journal", "qty": 25, "size": { "h": 14, "w": 21, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "A" },
   { "item": "notebook", "qty": 50, "size": { "h": 8.5, "w": 11, "uom": "in" }, "status": "A" },
   { "item": "paper", "qty": 100, "size": { "h": 8.5, "w": 11, "uom": "in" }, "status": "D" },
   { "item": "planner", "qty": 75, "size": { "h": 22.85, "w": 30, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "D" },
   { "item": "postcard", "qty": 45, "size": { "h": 10, "w": 15.25, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "A" }
]' | http [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]"

JavaScript

// Create collection
fetch("http://localhost:8080/inventory", {
  method: "PUT",
  headers: {
    Authorization: "Basic YWRtaW46c2VjcmV0",
  },
}).then((response) => {
  if (response.ok) {
    console.log("Collection created successfully");

    const data = [
      {
        item: "journal",
        qty: 25,
        size: { h: 14, w: 21, uom: "cm" },
        status: "A",
      },
      {
        item: "notebook",
        qty: 50,
        size: { h: 8.5, w: 11, uom: "in" },
        status: "A",
      },
      {
        item: "paper",
        qty: 100,
        size: { h: 8.5, w: 11, uom: "in" },
        status: "D",
      },
      {
        item: "planner",
        qty: 75,
        size: { h: 22.85, w: 30, uom: "cm" },
        status: "D",
      },
      {
        item: "postcard",
        qty: 45,
        size: { h: 10, w: 15.25, uom: "cm" },
        status: "A",
      },
    ];

    // Insert documents
    fetch("http://localhost:8080/inventory", {
      method: "POST",
      body: JSON.stringify(data),
      headers: {
        Authorization: "Basic YWRtaW46c2VjcmV0",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
      },
    })
      .then((response) => {
        if (response.ok) {
          console.log("Documents inserted successfully");
        } else {
          console.error("Failed to insert documents:", response.status);
        }
      })
      .catch((error) => console.error("Error:", error));
  } else {
    console.error("Failed to create collection:", response.status);
  }
})
.catch((error) => console.error("Error:", error));

Retrieving documents

To retrieve all documents from a collection, send a GET request:

cURL

curl -i -X GET [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]"

HTTPie

http GET [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory \
  Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]"

JavaScript

fetch('[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory', {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Basic [BASIC-AUTH]'
  }
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => {
  console.log('Retrieved documents:', data);
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

The response contains an array of all documents in the collection (limited by the default page size):

[
  {
    "_id": {
      "$oid": "5d0b3dbc2ec9ff0d92ddc2aa"
    },
    "_etag": {
      "$oid": "5d0b3dbc2ec9ff0d92ddc2a5"
    },
    "item": "postcard",
    "qty": 45,
    "size": {
      "h": 10,
      "w": 15.25,
      "uom": "cm"
    },
    "status": "A"
  },
  {
    "_id": {
      "$oid": "5d0b3dbc2ec9ff0d92ddc2a9"
    },
    "_etag": {
      "$oid": "5d0b3dbc2ec9ff0d92ddc2a5"
    },
    "item": "planner",
    "qty": 75,
    "size": {
      "h": 22.85,
      "w": 30,
      "uom": "cm"
    },
    "status": "D"
  }
]

Filtering documents

You can filter documents using the filter query parameter with MongoDB query syntax:

cURL

curl -i -X GET "[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  --data-urlencode 'filter={"qty":{"$gt":75}}'

HTTPie

http GET "[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory" \
  Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  filter=="{\"qty\":{\"\$gt\":75}}"

JavaScript

const filter = encodeURIComponent('{"qty":{"$gt":75}}');
fetch(`[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory?filter=${filter}`, {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Basic [BASIC-AUTH]'
  }
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => {
  console.log('Filtered documents:', data);
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

This returns only documents where the quantity is greater than 75:

[
    {
        "_id": {
            "$oid": "5d0b3dbc2ec9ff0d92ddc2a8"
        },
        "_etag": {
            "$oid": "5d0b3dbc2ec9ff0d92ddc2a5"
        },
        "item": "paper",
        "qty": 100,
        "size": {
            "h": 8.5,
            "w": 11,
            "uom": "in"
        },
        "status": "D"
    }
]

Creating documents

To create a new document, use the POST method with a JSON body:

cURL

curl -i -X POST [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"item": "newItem", "qty": 10, "size": { "h": 2, "w": 4, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "C"}'

HTTPie

http POST [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory \
  Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  item="newItem" qty:=10 size:='{"h": 2, "w": 4, "uom": "cm"}' \
  status="C"

JavaScript

fetch('[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Basic [BASIC-AUTH]',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    item: 'newItem',
    qty: 10,
    size: { h: 2, w: 4, uom: 'cm' },
    status: 'C'
  })
})
.then(response => {
  if (response.ok) {
    console.log('Document created successfully');
    console.log('Location:', response.headers.get('Location'));
  } else {
    console.error('Failed to create document:', response.status);
  }
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

The server responds with headers including a Location that points to the newly created document:

HTTP/1.1 201 Created
ETag: 5d0b47422ec9ff0d92ddc2ad
Location: http://localhost:8080/inventory/5d0b47425beb2029a8d1bc72
Content-Type: application/json
Tip
 The Location header contains the URI of the new document. You can use this URI to access the document directly.

Creating documents with a specified ID

You can create a document with a specific ID using the PUT method with the ?wm=upsert query parameter:

cURL

curl -i -X PUT [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument?wm=upsert \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "item": "yetAnotherItem", "qty": 90, "size": { "h": 3, "w": 4, "uom": "cm" }, "status": "C" }'

HTTPie

http PUT [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument \
  Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  wm==upsert \
  item="yetAnotherItem" qty:=90 size:='{"h": 3, "w": 4, "uom": "cm"}' \
  status="C"

JavaScript

fetch('[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument?wm=upsert', {
  method: 'PUT',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Basic [BASIC-AUTH]',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    item: 'yetAnotherItem',
    qty: 90,
    size: { h: 3, w: 4, uom: 'cm' },
    status: 'C'
  })
})
.then(response => {
  if (response.ok) {
    console.log('Document created/updated successfully');
  } else {
    console.error('Failed to create/update document:', response.status);
  }
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));
Note
 The wm=upsert parameter is needed because the default write mode for PUT is "update". The "upsert" mode creates the document if it doesn’t exist.

Updating documents

To modify specific properties of an existing document, use the PATCH method:

cURL

curl -i -X PATCH [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "qty": 40, "status": "A", "newProperty": "value" }'

HTTPie

http PATCH [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument \
  Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]" \
  qty:=40 status="A" newProperty="value"

JavaScript

fetch('[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument', {
  method: 'PATCH',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Basic [BASIC-AUTH]',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    qty: 40,
    status: 'A',
    newProperty: 'value'
  })
})
.then(response => {
  if (response.ok) {
    console.log('Document updated successfully');
  } else {
    console.error('Failed to update document:', response.status);
  }
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

This updates only the specified fields and adds new fields:

{
    "_id": "newDocument",
    "item": "yetAnotherItem",
    "qty": 40,
    "size": {
        "h": 3,
        "w": 4,
        "uom": "cm"
    },
    "status": "A",
    "_etag": {
        "$oid": "5d0b4b9e2ec9ff0d92ddc2af"
    },
    "newProperty": "value"
}

Deleting documents

To delete a document, use the DELETE method:

cURL

curl -i -X DELETE [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [BASIC-AUTH]"

HTTPie

http DELETE [RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument \
  Authorization:"Basic [BASIC-AUTH]"

JavaScript

fetch('[RESTHEART-URL]/inventory/newDocument', {
  method: 'DELETE',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Basic [BASIC-AUTH]'
  }
})
.then(response => {
  if (response.ok) {
    console.log('Document deleted successfully');
  } else {
    console.error('Failed to delete document:', response.status);
  }
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

A successful deletion returns a 204 No Content status.

Next steps

Now that you understand the basics, explore more advanced features: