Comments on: REST Doesn’t Lie http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:38:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Colin Jack http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-31 Colin Jack Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:36:23 +0000 http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-31 "If the client does not expect to handle these changes then the server is coupled." I agree there is coupling, there's always coupling, but I guess I'm maybe not getting what sort of changes you mean? Are you meaning changing format, changing the shape/nature of a representation, changing media-type, using different HTTP response, changing authentication/authorization approach, codes/behavior (we were returning 200 now we choose to use 202)? "If you introduce such coupling the server developer needs to get all client owners on the phone before making a change." Depends on the nature of the change and the way your clients are coupled to you, versioning is a reasonable alternative if you do require a breaking change. I haven't had a chance to try it on a project but I also like Ian Robinson's consumer driven contracts approach, not for all situations/projects though. “If the client does not expect to handle these changes then the server is coupled.”

I agree there is coupling, there’s always coupling, but I guess I’m maybe not getting what sort of changes you mean?

Are you meaning changing format, changing the shape/nature of a representation, changing media-type, using different HTTP response, changing authentication/authorization approach, codes/behavior (we were returning 200 now we choose to use 202)?

“If you introduce such coupling the server developer needs to get all client owners on the phone before making a change.”

Depends on the nature of the change and the way your clients are coupled to you, versioning is a reasonable alternative if you do require a breaking change. I haven’t had a chance to try it on a project but I also like Ian Robinson’s consumer driven contracts approach, not for all situations/projects though.

]]> By: Jan Algermissen http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-30 Jan Algermissen Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:26:12 +0000 http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-30 If the client does not expect to handle these changes then the server is coupled. REST aims to avoid that. If you introduce such coupling the server developer needs to get all client owners on the phone before making a change. The goal is to eliminate the need for such communication. If the client does not expect to handle these changes then the server is coupled. REST aims to avoid that. If you introduce such coupling the server developer needs to get all client owners on the phone before making a change. The goal is to eliminate the need for such communication.

]]> By: Colin Jack http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-27 Colin Jack Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:59:12 +0000 http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-27 "Two things mostly: you are not doing REST unless your system does not adhere to the above" I dunno if I read it that way, I read it as saying that all that is required to stay static is the mapping, not that its not RESTful to agree to keep more (relatively) static. In particular I'm not sure its always reasonable/possible to expect a client to plan for everything else to change. “Two things mostly: you are not doing REST unless your system does not adhere to the above”

I dunno if I read it that way, I read it as saying that all that is required to stay static is the mapping, not that its not RESTful to agree to keep more (relatively) static.

In particular I’m not sure its always reasonable/possible to expect a client to plan for everything else to change.

]]> By: This Week in REST – Volume 1 (Jan 25 2010 – Jan 31 2010) « This week in REST http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-22 This Week in REST – Volume 1 (Jan 25 2010 – Jan 31 2010) « This week in REST Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:03:43 +0000 http://www.nordsc.com/blog/?p=134#comment-22 [...] REST Doesn’t Lie – Looking at what a REST service can guarantee not to change over the life of the service. (by Jan Algermissen) [...] [...] REST Doesn’t Lie – Looking at what a REST service can guarantee not to change over the life of the service. (by Jan Algermissen) [...]

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