Consume One or More REST API Methods

Consume several methods of a REST API

You can consume several methods of a REST API (all API methods or just the methods you select) if that API is compliant with the Swagger specification. REST APIs exposed by OutSystems are compliant with this specification.

You can import Swagger specifications either by providing a URL or by selecting a specification file from the local file system.

Do the following:

1. In the Logic tab, open the Integrations folder.

2. Right-click on the REST element and select Consume REST API...

   

3. In the displayed dialog, choose Add Multiple Methods.

   

4. If you're importing an OpenAPI 3.0 specification file and the specification includes more than one server endpoint, choose the desired endpoint and click Finish.

   

   Note: You can't change the server endpoint after importing the REST API.

5. Choose the REST API methods you want to import (by default, all methods) and click Finish.

   

When importing the REST API, Service Studio does the following:

• Creates the REST API
• Creates REST API Methods with the corresponding input and output parameters
• Creates the Structures to hold the corresponding input and output parameters under a new tree element with the REST API name
• Maps the REST Data Types into OutSystems Data Types

Consume a single method of a REST API

In OutSystems you can consume a single method of a REST API, based on example content for the request and/or response. You may need to specify input parameters in the URL and/or a body for manipulation methods like POST or PUT.

Do the following:

1. In the Logic tab, open the Integrations folder.

2. Right-click on the REST element and select Consume REST API....

   

3. In the displayed dialog, choose Add Single Method.

   

4. Fill the information about the Method URL. You can include parameters between braces in the URL for the method's input parameters.

   Examples:
   GET https://api.example.com/Portal/rest/Contacts/GetAll
GET https://api.example.com/Portal/rest/Contacts/Get?Id={Id}
POST https://api.example.com/Portal/rest/Contacts/Create

   Each input parameter defined between braces in the URL becomes an input parameter of the method.

   Note: Input parameters in URL query strings must follow a specific format. See Using parameters in the URL query string for details.

5. If the REST API you are consuming requires specific headers or uses HTTP Basic Authentication, open the Headers / Auth tab and fill the necessary information.

   

6. Fill the information about the Request and the Response. The easiest way to do this is to perform a test to the API and use the test result.

   Alternatively, you can add the JSON structure or plain text example directly in the Request and Response fields in the Body tab. Open the Test tab. If you have parameters in your Method URL, you need to insert the parameter values to execute the test:

   

   For manipulation methods, such as POST or PUT, fill the Request of the Body Content with the corresponding request structure:

   

7. Click Test. If the test is successful, you see the method's response in the Response area of Test tab.

   Use that information to fill in the Response in the Body tab by clicking Copy to Response body in the Response area. Leave only the needed fields.

   For manipulation methods (such as POST or PUT), do the same for the Request, by pressing Copy to Request body in the Request area:

   

   Usually, you obtain the most common fields this way. To know in full detail all the available fields, check the API documentation.

8. Check if the Request and Response information is correct in the Body tab and click OK:

   

When importing the REST API method, Service Studio does the following:

• Creates a REST API element under the REST element in the tree
• Creates a REST API Method with the corresponding input and output parameters
• Creates the Structures to hold the corresponding input and output parameters under a new tree element with the REST API name
• Maps the REST Data Types into OutSystems Data Types

Use a REST API Method in your Application

OutSystems translates the methods exposed by a REST API into OutSystems actions, with the same semantics as any action created by you in Service Studio.

You can now use the newly created methods in your application the same way you use any Server Action:

1. Go to the action flow where you want to use the REST API Method.

   

2. In the Logic tab, open the Integrations folder and the REST element.

3. Expand the REST API element and drag the REST API Method into your action flow.

   

4. Use the method's output parameters as you do for any other action.

   

Using parameters in the URL query string

OutSystems supports using input parameters in URL query string as name/value pairs, like in key={value}, where value is an input parameter. The URL query string is the part of the URL after the ? (question mark) character.

For example, you can use the following URLs:

• http://apps.example.com/Orders/{id}/?show_details={ShowDetails}

  Uses id outside the query string, as part of the URL.
  Uses ShowDetails as the value of a query string parameter, following the allowed format (key={value}).

• http://apps.example.com/Orders/?key1={value1}&key2={value2}

  Uses value1 and value2 as input parameters, following the allowed format.
  You can separate parameters in the query string using the & (ampersand) character.

Using input parameters in the query string following a different format, or as a way of defining the whole query string, is not supported in OutSystems.

For example, you can't use any of the following URLs because they're not currently supported:

• http://apps.example.com/Orders/?{key}={value}

  You can't use an input parameter (in this case, key) to define a query string parameter name.

• http://apps.example.com/Orders/?key={value1},{value2}

  You can't use several input parameters (in this case, value1 and value2) to define a composed value for a query string parameter.

• http://apps.example.com/Orders/?name={"last":{value1},"first":{value2}}

  You can't use JSON structures as query string parameter values.

• http://apps.example.com/Orders/?{QueryString}

  You can't define a generic query string that's only defined at runtime using an input parameter.