RESTful architecture simply explained

Posted By: Nick Floyd on December 18, 2008

I can’t believe I missed this gem that Roy T. Fielding put out in October! If you’re not up for reading the monster dissertation at least read this post and the comments.

A REST API must not define fixed resource names or hierarchies (an obvious coupling of client and server). Servers must have the freedom to control their own namespace. Instead, allow servers to instruct clients on how to construct appropriate URIs, such as is done in HTML forms and URI templates, by defining those instructions within media types and link relations. [Failure here implies that clients are assuming a resource structure due to out-of band information, such as a domain-specific standard, which is the data-oriented equivalent to RPC’s functional coupling].

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Posted In: API,
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Making ASP .NET MVC URIs RESTful

Posted By: Nick Floyd on December 15, 2008

Out of the box the ASP .NET MVC implementation is nice, easy, and elegant. From what I understand they used a few patterns from, the RoR world. One thing that is not part of the default implementation is RESTful routing.

Thanks to the guys who are infinitely smarter than me that did MVCContrib, adding RESTful behavior (using SimplyRestfulRouteHandler) to a .NET MVC app is pretty simple.

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Posted In: API, Tips,
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RESTful thoughts - OAUTH and statelessness

Posted By: Nick Floyd on December 14, 2008

I keep a copy of Roy Fielding’s 162 page dissertation in my laptop bag, yeah I know - ich bin ein nerd, but hey it only adds another 2~3 lbs to my bag and I like rules and architecture - “form follows function” as Fielding puts it.