@mittwald/api-models

mittwald API models

This package contains a collection of domain models for coherent interaction with the mittwald API.

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Mittwald CM Service GmbH & Co. KG and contributors

This project (and all NPM packages) therein is licensed under the MIT License; see the LICENSE file for details.

Installing

You can install this package from the regular NPM registry:

yarn add @mittwald/api-models

Setup

You will need to initialize an API client in order to operate with the models provided by this package. Use the api global instance for initialization with some methods.

import { api } from "@mittwald/api-models";

api.setupWithApiToken(process.env.MW_API_TOKEN);

Examples

• A Reference or ReferenceModel represents a certain model just by its ID.
• A DetailedModel contains all the data of the resource.

For a more detailed description refer to the section Type of models

// Get a detailed project
const detailedProject = await Project.get("p-vka9t3");

// Create a project reference
const projectRef = Project.ofId("p-vka9t3");

// Get the detailed project from the reference
const anotherDetailedProject = await projectRef.getDetailed();

// Update project description
await detailedProject.updateDescription("My new description!");

// This method just needs the ID and a description and
// thus is also available on the reference
await projectRef.updateDescription("My new description!");

// Accessing the projects server reference
const server = project.server;

// List all projects of this server
const serversProjects = await server.projects.execute();

// List all projects
const allProjects = await Project.query().execute();

// Iterate over project List Models
for (const project of serversProjects) {
  await project.leave();
}

Usage in React

This package also provides methods aligned to be used in React components. It uses @mittwald/react-use-promise to encapsulate all asynchronous functions into AsyncResources. More details about how to use AsyncResources see the package documentation.

Installation

To use the React client you have to install the additional @mittwald/react-use-promise package:

yarn add @mittwald/react-use-promise

All asynchronous methods provide a use-method property. This method uses @mittwald/react-use-promise under the hood to "resolve" the promise in the "React way".

const detailedProject = Project.get.use("p-vka9t3");

// Create a project reference
const projectRef = Project.ofId("p-vka9t3");

// Get the detailed project from the reference
const anotherDetailedProject = projectRef.getDetailed.use();

// Accessing the projects server reference
const server = project.server;

// List all projects of this server
const serversProjects = server.projects.execute.use();

// List all projects
const allProjects = Project.query().execute.use();

Immutability and state updates

Most of all models provided by this package represent an associated counter-part in the backend. When a model is loaded from the backend, the current state is incorporated into the model instance. To keep it simple and predictable this state is immutable and does not change under any circumstances. As a result you must create a new instance to get an updated model and propagate it throughout the runtime code.

This also applies for operations initiated at client-side. For example when the updateDescription method is called on a project, the project instance will still have the old description.

"Watching for changes" is not scope of this package and will be implemented in future releases or other packages™️.

Contribute

As a general advice when contributing, be sure to look at the existing source code and use it as a template!

Please consider the following conventions when adding or modifying models.

File structure

Structure the models in meaningful directories.

Use the base classes

Models should extend (or inherit) the correct base class. You can find the base classes in src/base. The following classes are available.

DataModel

The DataModel is the foundation of all model classes that contain a set of immutable generic data.

ReferenceModel

A ReferenceModel represents a certain model just by its ID. As the most basic model operations often just need the ID and some input data (deleting, renaming, ...), Reference Models can avoid unnecessary API round trips.

Stick to the ubiquitous language

When adding models or methods pay close attention to the (maybe existing) language used in the respective domain. Talk to the responsible team if you are uncertain.

Models as abstraction layer

Models should cover the following aspects:

• Coherent representation of the business logic
• Simple loading of models and their linked entities
• Methods to interact with the model in an intuitive way
• Preprocessing of the models raw data to increase DX
• Consistent API

Type of models

Detailed vs. List Models

The response type for some models often differs when loading single items or lists. To reduce the amount of data, the list response type is usually a subset of the comprehensive model. Add separate classes for the Detailed Model (name it [Model]Detailed) and the List Model (name it [Model]ListItem).

If both model share a common code base, you should add a Common Model (name it [Model]Common).

Reference Models

A Reference Model represents a certain model just by its ID. As the most basic model operations often just need the ID and some input data (deleting, renaming, ...), Reference Models can avoid unnecessary API round trips. These classes should be used as a return type for newly created models or for linked models.

To get the actual Detailed Model, Reference Models must have a function getDetailed(): Promise<ModelDetailed> and function findDetailed(): Promise<ModelDetailed|undefined> method.

Consider extending the Reference Model when implementing the Entry-Point Model.

Query Models

Querying models usually requires a query object – or short query. The query mostly includes pagination settings like limit, skip or page. It may also include filters like fromDate or toDate, and filters to other models like customerId.

A Query Model represents a specific query to a specific model and should include the following methods:

• execute(): executes the query and returns the respective List Model
• refine(overrideQuery): creates a new Query Model with a refined query object
• getTotalCount(): gets the total count of the query (executes the query with limit: 0)

When a model supports queries, it should provide a static query() method to create the respective Query Model.

When a model is used as a query parameters in a Query Model, the model should have a property in its Reference Model for this Query Model. See the following example:

class Server {
  public readonly projects: ProjectsListQuery;

  public constructor(id: string) {
    this.projects = new ProjectListQuery({
      server: this,
    });
  }
}

List Models

List Models are the result of a Query Model execution. A List Model includes

• a list of the respective List Models, limited by the pagination configuration
• the available total count (useful to implement pagination or count data)

List Models should extend their respective Query Model, because it might be helpful to also call refine() on an already executed query.

Implementation details

When implementing shared functionality, like in the Common Models, you can use the polytype library to realize dynamic multiple inheritance. Be sure to look at the existing source code for implementation examples.

Entry-Point Model

Provide a single model (name it [Model]) as an entry point for all different model types (detailed, query, ...). As a convention provide a default export for this model.

Use the correct verbs

find

Entry-Point models should have a static find method. The find method returns the detailed model or may return undefined if the model can not be found.

get

In addition to the find method Entry-Point models should have a static get method. The get method should return the desired object or throw an ObjectNotFoundError. You can use the find method and assert the existence with the assertObjectFound function.

query

When a list of objects should be queried use a query method. It may support a query parameter to filter the result by given criteria.

create

When a model should be created use a static create method. This method should return a reference of the created resource.

Accessing "linked" models

Most of the models are part of a larger model tree. Models should provide properties to get the parent and child models, like project.server, server.projects or server.customer.

Use Reference Models resp. Entry-Point Models when possible!

If a linked model provides a Reference Model or Entry-point Model, create it in the model constructor, to avoid unnecessary API round trips.

Abstraction of model behaviors

Models are usually backed by a set of behaviors, defining the basic model interactions. In order to actually "use" the model, it must be initialized with a concrete behavior implementation. This layer of abstraction removes implementation specific code from the model, and also makes behaviors exchangeable without any impact on the model itself - for example inside unit tests.

Consider using behaviors for:

• API interactions
• Storing and loading local data
• Complex computations or logic (maybe supported by an external library)

Encapsulate API interaction inside behaviors

Encapsulate any API interaction inside the model behaviors to prevent strong coupling of model and API-specific implementation.

Don't 🥴

class ProjectDetailed {
  public static async find(
    id: string,
  ): Promise<ProjProjectDetailed | undefined> {
    const response = await client.project.getProject({
      id,
    });

    if (response.status === 200) {
      return new Project(response.data.id, response.data);
    }
    assertStatus(response, 403);
  }
}

Do 😃

class ProjectDetailed {
  public static async find(id: string): Promise<ProjectDetailed | undefined> {
    const data = await config.project.behaviors.find(id);
    if (data !== undefined) {
      return new Project(data.id, data);
    }
  }
}

How-to implement behaviors

Place a behaviors folder inside the model that should look like this:

Project/
├─ behaviors/
│  ├─ index.ts
│  ├─ types.ts (behavior interface)
│  ├─ api.ts   (behavior implementation)
│  ├─ inmem.ts (behavior implementation)

Define types.ts first

It is a good starting point to first implement the interface for the behavior. The interface usually just defines methods used in the behavior. Like

export interface ProjectBehaviors {
  find: (id: string) => Promise<ProjectData | undefined>;
  updateDescription: (projectId: string, description: string) => Promise<void>;
}

Then register the behavior in the global behavior configuration packages/models/src/config/config.ts.

Use the behaviors in the model

If the behavior interface is defined, you can start implementing the model. You can also first implement the concrete API behavior, to "proof" the behavior is "working" with the real API.

import { config } from "../../config/config.js";

class ProjectDetailed {
  public static async find(id: string): Promise<ProjectDetailed | undefined> {
    const data = await config.project.behaviors.find(id);
    if (data !== undefined) {
      return new Project(data.id, data);
    }
  }
}

Implement the API behavior

The API behavior depends on an API client. You can implement the behavior as an object factory, or a simple class implementing the interface. When using the object factory, you do not have to redeclare the method parameter types.

Do the implementation specific stuff, thus preparing and executing the request, and finally processing the response.

import { ProjectBehaviors } from "./types.js";
import { assertStatus, MittwaldAPIV2Client } from "@mittwald/api-client";

export const apiProjectBehaviors = (
  client: MittwaldAPIV2Client,
): ProjectBehaviors => ({
  find: async (id) => {
    const response = await client.project.getProject({
      projectId: id,
    });

    if (response.status === 200) {
      return response.data;
    }
    assertStatus(response, 403);
  },
});

Prepare for React

All asynchronous methods should provide a use-method property. This method uses @mittwald/react-use-promise under the hood to "resolve" the promise in the "React way".

To provide this feature to your async model methods, wrap the actual method with the provideReact enhancer.

class ProjectDetailed {
  public static find = provideReact(
    async (id: string): Promise<ProjectDetailed | undefined> => {
      const data = await config.behaviors.project.find(id);

      if (data !== undefined) {
        return new ProjectDetailed(data);
      }
    },
  );
}