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Build a REST API in Spark

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Getting Started with our API

2:22 with Craig Dennis

Let's discuss the project for this course

Prerequisites

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    [MUSIC] 0:00
    Hello and welcome. 0:05
    I'm Craig and I'm a developer. 0:06
    In this workshop we are going to take on task of implementing an SQL-backed REST API 0:07
    using the Java micro web framework Spark. 0:13
    So I hope you understood that mouthful of words I just spouted out. 0:16
    If not, there's some prerequisites to this workshop that I've listed in 0:19
    the teacher's notes. 0:23
    Now, after reviewing those, we'll be on the same page and 0:24
    talking the same language. 0:26
    As always, there are video controls to slow me way down and speed me up. 0:28
    If I start getting bored. 0:33
    The ability to build a REST API is becoming more and 0:35
    more a required skill that you absolutely need to have in your Java tool belt. 0:38
    Client side framework are taking off and 0:43
    they expect a backend server to do all the heavy lifting. 0:45
    They all almost follow REST out of the box. 0:49
    Mobile applications have exploded and just about every company has or 0:51
    wants a mobile app these days. 0:56
    These apps need to talk to the existing infrastructure and 0:58
    usually they do that using REST. 1:01
    So, what better way to get started exploring building a REST API 1:03
    than using a very straightforward approach to the problem. 1:07
    Spark is once again is going to do this for us. 1:10
    I thought we'd take a chance with this project to also explore using a database 1:13
    implementation and land on a friendly middle ground between raw SQL and 1:17
    an object relational mapper. 1:21
    We'll also explore using a package that allows us to take our model objects and 1:23
    turn them into JSON or JavaScript Object Notation. 1:27
    So the project that we're going to be building together is a public facing 1:31
    REST API that will allow people to review online courses. 1:34
    Now there are a ton of online tutorials and we'll be providing a way for 1:38
    people to submit a brand new course. 1:42
    For instance, something like this. 1:44
    A course might be how to beat angry birds. 1:46
    That's what the course looks like. 1:48
    And then after that you can submit reviews for each course. 1:50
    Like a glowing one. 1:53
    Five stars. 1:54
    Loved it. 1:55
    Or one that isn't so great. 1:56
    Obviously, when reviewing tree house courses these are going to be 1:58
    five out of a possible five. 2:00
    But our API is made to accept courses from anywhere. 2:02
    So the client of the API can request a list of courses that have reviews 2:06
    as well as submit a new course and a new review. 2:10
    This aggregating of information is a common use case of software as a service, 2:13
    or SAAS. 2:18
    Sound fun? 2:19
    Let's get this party started. 2:20

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