Testing Your API
Build and run your project, and navigate to http://localhost:8080 to ensure your server is still running.
Then, open Terminal, and enter the following command to GET all acronyms:
curl http://localhost:8080/acronyms
If everything is set up correctly, you should get back an empty JSON placeholder ([]
). This means you’ve correctly set up your GET route!
Now, add a new acronym to your back end — enter the following command:
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/acronyms -H 'content-type: application/json' -d '{"short": "BRB", "long": "Be right back"}'
You should see a response like this:
{"id":"b2edde7b8032c30c7aeeff8d18000ad9","short":"BRB","long":"Be right back"}
In Xcode, Kitura’s log messages should include a Received POST type-safe request message.
To verify this actually saved to the database, enter the following GET command again, or go to http://localhost:8080/acronyms right in your browser:
curl http://localhost:8080/acronyms
If you get back the same JSON you entered, inside an array, then congratulations! You’ve successfully created a working API!
Where to Go From Here?
This tutorial has introduced you to Kitura by building a backend API. However, that is not all Kitura can do! In our Kitura Stencil Tutorial, you’ll learn how to use Kitura and Stencil to build a website that includes a front end.
You can download the completed version of the project using the Download Materials button at the top or bottom of this tutorial. You can also read through IBM’s introduction to Kitura Codable Routing.
There’s a lot of material on the internet about Kitura, and some especially great stuff available directly from IBM! If you’d like to continue learning about Codable Routing and other Kitura 2.0 features, check out this tutorial.
I encourage you to comment in the forum below if you have any questions or comments!