forked from GitHub/dbot
46 lines
1.9 KiB
Markdown
46 lines
1.9 KiB
Markdown
## API
|
|
|
|
Creates external REST APIs for module API functions.
|
|
|
|
### Description
|
|
|
|
This module uses the web module to expose module API functionality externally
|
|
through a REST API. As it stands, it's only really useful for viewing various
|
|
information returned by API functions, as there is no system for API keys or
|
|
anything like that to protect against misuse of functionality which modifies
|
|
data.
|
|
|
|
To externalise an API function, two properties must be set on a particular API
|
|
function, like so:
|
|
|
|
api['resolveUser'].external = true;
|
|
api['resolveUser'].extMap = [ 'server', 'nick', 'callback' ];
|
|
|
|
The first, 'external' flag simply lets the API module know that this function is
|
|
intended to be exposed externally - and functions will always be considered not
|
|
to be externally available unless this flag is explicitly set.
|
|
|
|
The second is a mapping of parameters to the module. This should match the
|
|
function prototype given when the function is declared (unfortunately these
|
|
can't be mapped automatically because the closure use means we get 'native code'
|
|
returned and can't scan the function headers for the parameter names).
|
|
|
|
Then, to access this function remotely we can simply make a GET request to the
|
|
web counterpart to the internal API function path. So, internally you'd access
|
|
the resolveUser function at _dbot.api.users.resolveUser_, we can get to it
|
|
externally with _/api/users/resolveUser_ - supplying parameters as they are
|
|
named in the extMap.
|
|
|
|
The response to the API call will be given in the form of JSON:
|
|
|
|
{
|
|
err: Error, such as 'API function not enabled for external access'
|
|
data: API call response
|
|
}
|
|
|
|
If there is a _callback_ parameter named in the extMap, then the API module
|
|
automatically hijacks this parameter and uses the data it's called with to
|
|
supply the response to the API call with data. If there is no callback
|
|
parameter, then it's a blocking API request and the response will be the return
|
|
value of the call.
|