This book provides examples of using the MySQL REST Service queries and other operations against tables and views after you have REST-enabled them.

Chapter Overview

Please also see

MySQL REST Service - Developer’s Guide - This book explains how to install and configure the MySQL REST Service (MRS) as well as how to access the data through REST calls.
MySQL REST Service - SDK Reference - This book explains how to work with the MRS Software Development Kit and discusses the Client APIs.
MySQL REST Service - SQL Reference - This book discusses the MySQL REST Service SQL Extension.

1 MRS Core REST APIs

This section provides examples of using the MySQL REST Service queries and other operations against tables and views after you have REST-enabled them.

The examples in this section provide an insight into the direct, low-level REST API calls that can be made against the MySQL REST Service. They can be used to gain a deep understanding of how MRS works.

When developing an application with MRS, it is recommended to use a higher-level MRS Software Development Kit (SDK) instead. Please check if a SDK has already been made available for your programming language and platform.

1.1 About MRS RESTful Web Services

MRS supports the creation of an unlimited amount of distinct RESTful Web Services. You can also refer to them as MRS services. Each of those MRS services usually maps to one (or more) web applications.

After you create a RESTful Web Service, you can access it by navigating to the following URL.

Pattern:

https://<HOSTNAME:PORT>/<MRS_SERVICE_PATH>/<MRS_DATABASE_SCHEMA_PATH>/<MRS_DATABASE_OBJECT_PATH>/

HOSTNAME:PORT/MRS_SERVICE_PATH: Specifies the address at which the given MRS service is running. You can also refer to it as the MRS service URI.
MRS_DATABASE_SCHEMA_PATH: Specifies the path that you provided while REST-enabling your database schema. By default, it is the name of the schema.
MRS_DATABASE_OBJECT_PATH: Specifies the path that you provided while REST-enabling your database object (TABLE, VIEW or PROCEDURE).

Together, these values comprise the MRS endpoint URL.

Example:

https://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor

1.2 About Request Path Syntax Requirements

To prevent path-based attacks, MRS requires the syntax of the path element of each request URL to conform to the following rules:

Is not empty or whitespace-only
Does not contain any of the following characters: ?, #, ;, %
Does not contain the null character (000)
Does not contain characters in the range: 001-031
Does not end with white space or a period (.)
Does not contain double forward slash (//) or double back slash(\)
Does not contain two or more periods in sequence (.., …, and so on)
Total length is {@value #MAX_PATH_LENGTH} characters or less
Does not match any of the following names (case insensitive), with or without file extensions: CON, PRN, AUX, CLOCK$, NUL, COM0, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT0, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, LPT9

If you intend to enable REST endpoints for database objects, then avoid object names that do not comply with these requirements. For example, do not create a table named #EMPS. If you do want to auto-REST enable objects that have non-compliant names, then you must use an alias that complies with the requirements.

These requirements are applied to the URL decoded form of the URL, to prevent attempted circumvention of percent encodings.

1.3 About cURL and Testing RESTful Services

Usually you can navigate to a URL of a RESTful service using a web browser. However, another way to test it is by using a command line tool like cURL.

cURL enables you to see and control what data is being sent to and received from a RESTful service.

curl -i https://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/2

This example produces a response like the following:

{
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "self",
            "href": "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/2"
        }
    ],
    "actor_id": 2,
    "last_name": "WAHLBERG",
    "first_name": "NICK",
    "last_update": "2006-02-15 03:34:33.000000"
}

The -i option tells cURL to display the HTTP headers returned by the server.

2 MRS REST Queries

A MRS REST service provides access to one or more schemas (and their metadata) as well as their comprising database objects such as tables, views and procedures (and their metadata).

2.1 Get Schema Metadata

This example retrieves a list of resources available through the specified schema alias. It shows RESTful services that are created by enabling a table, view or procedure.

Pattern:

GET http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/metadata-catalog/

Example:

GET http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/metadata-catalog/

Result:

{
    "items": [
        {
            "name": "/actor",
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "describes",
                    "href": "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor"
                },
                {
                    "rel": "canonical",
                    "href": "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/metadata-catalog/actor"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "name": "/address",
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "describes",
                    "href": "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/address"
                },
                {
                    "rel": "canonical",
                    "href": "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/metadata-catalog/address"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "limit": 25,
    "offset": 0,
    "hasMore": false,
    "count": 2,
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "self",
            "href": "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/metadata-catalog/"
        }
    ]
}

Each available resource has two hyperlinks:

The link with a “describes” relation points to the actual resource
The link with a “canonical” relation points to the resource metadata

2.2 Get Object Metadata

This example retrieves the metadata (which describes the object) of an individual object. The location of the metadata is specified by the canonical link relation.

Pattern:

GET http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/metadata-catalog/<ObjectAlias>/

Example:

GET http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/metadata-catalog/actor/

Result:

{
    "name": "/actor",
    "primaryKey": [
        "actor_id"
    ],
    "members": [
        {
            "name": "actor_id",
            "type": "null"
        },
        {
            "name": "first_name",
            "type": "null"
        },
        {
            "name": "last_name",
            "type": "null"
        },
        {
            "name": "last_update",
            "type": "string"
        }
    ],
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "collection",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/metadata-catalog",
            "mediaType": "application/json"
        },
        {
            "rel": "canonical",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/metadata-catalog/actor"
        },
        {
            "rel": "describes",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor"
        }
    ]
}

2.3 Get Object Data

This example retrieves the data in the object. Each row in the object corresponds to a JSON object embedded within the JSON array

Pattern:

GET http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/<ObjectAlias>/

Example:

GET http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/

Result:

{
    "items": [
        {
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "self",
                    "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/1"
                }
            ],
            "actor_id": 1,
            "last_name": "GUINESSS",
            "first_name": "PENELOPE",
            "last_update": "2021-09-28 20:18:53.000000"
        },
        {
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "self",
                    "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/2"
                }
            ],
            "actor_id": 2,
            "last_name": "WAHLBERG",
            "first_name": "NICK",
            "last_update": "2006-02-15 03:34:33.000000"
        },
        {
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "self",
                    "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/3"
                }
            ],
            "actor_id": 3,
            "last_name": "CHASE",
            "first_name": "ED",
            "last_update": "2006-02-15 03:34:33.000000"
        },
        ...
    ]
}

2.3.1 Get Table Data Using Pagination

We can specify offset and limit parameters which are used for result data pagination.

Pattern:

GET http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/<ObjectAlias>/?offset=<Offset>&limit=<Limit>

Example:

GET http://localhost:8080/mrs/sakila/actor/?offset=10&limit=2

Result:

{
    "items": [
        {
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "self",
                    "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/11"
                }
            ],
            "actor_id": 11,
            "last_name": "CAGE",
            "first_name": "ZERO",
            "last_update": "2006-02-15 03:34:33.000000"
        },
        {
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "self",
                    "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/12"
                }
            ],
            "actor_id": 12,
            "last_name": "BERRY",
            "first_name": "KARL",
            "last_update": "2006-02-15 03:34:33.000000"
        }
    ],
    "limit": 2,
    "offset": 10,
    "hasMore": true,
    "count": 2,
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "self",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/"
        },
        {
            "rel": "next",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/?offset=12&limit=2"
        },
        {
            "rel": "prev",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/?offset=8&limit=2"
        },
        {
            "rel": "first",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/?limit=2"
        }
    ]
}

2.3.2 Get Table Data Using Query

We can use a filter clause to restrict the set of objects that are returned.

Pattern:

GET http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/<ObjectAlias>/?q=<FilterClause>

Example:

GET http://localhost:8080/mrs/sakila/actor/?q={"last_name":{"$like":"WAW%"}}

Result:

{
    "items": [
        {
            "links": [
                {
                    "rel": "self",
                    "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/97"
                }
            ],
            "actor_id": 97,
            "last_name": "HAWKE",
            "first_name": "MEG",
            "last_update": "2006-02-15 03:34:33.000000"
        }
    ],
    "limit": 25,
    "offset": 0,
    "hasMore": false,
    "count": 1,
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "self",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/"
        }
    ]
}

2.3.3 Get Table Row Using Primary Key

This example retrieves an object by specifying its identifying key values.

Note: A table requires a primary key to be part of a REST service.

Pattern:

GET http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/<ObjectAlias>/<KeyValues>

Where <KeyValues> is a comma-separated list of key values (in key order).

Example:

GET http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/53

Result:

{
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "self",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/53"
        }
    ],
    "actor_id": 53,
    "last_name": "TEMPLE",
    "first_name": "MENA",
    "last_update": "2006-02-15 03:34:33.000000"
}

2.4 Insert Table Row

To insert data into a table, the request body should be a JSON object that contains the data to be inserted.

If the object has a primary key, then the POST request can include the primary key value in the body. If the table has an AUTO_INCREMENT column then the primary key column may be omitted.

Pattern:

POST http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/<ObjectAlias>/

Example:

curl -i -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d "{ \"last_name\" : \"FOLEY\", \"first_name\": \"MIKE\" }" "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/" Content-Type: application/json

Result:

{
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "self",
            "href": "http://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/201"
        }
    ],
    "actor_id": 201,
    "last_name": "FOLEY",
    "first_name": "MIKE",
    "last_update": "2022-11-29 15:35:17.000000"
}

2.5 Update/Insert Table Row

To insert, update or “upsert” (update if exists, insert if not) data into a table, we can send a request where the body contains a JSON object with the data to insert or update.

Pattern:

PUT http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/<ObjectAlias>/<KeyValues>

Example:

curl -i -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X PUT -d "{ \"last_name\" : \"FOLEY\", \"first_name\": \"JACK\" }" "https://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/201" Content-Type: application/json

Result:

{
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "self",
            "href": "http://mrs.zinner.org/mrs/sakila/actor/201"
        }
    ],
    "actor_id": 201,
    "last_name": "FOLEY",
    "first_name": "JACK",
    "last_update": "2022-11-29 15:45:10.000000"
}

2.6 Delete Using Filter

Deleting a object or other database object can be done by specifying a filter clause that identifies the object to delete.

Pattern:

DELETE http://<HOST>:<PORT>/<ServiceAlias>/<SchemaAlias>/<ObjectAlias>/?q=<FilterClause>

Example:

curl -i -X DELETE "https://localhost:8000/mrs/sakila/actor/?q=\{\"actor_id\":201\}"

Result:

{
    "itemsDeleted": 1
}

3 FilterObject Grammar

The FilterObject must be a JSON object that complies with the following syntax:

    FilterObject { orderby , asof, wmembers }

The orderby, asof, and wmembers attributes are optional, and their definitions are as follows:

orderby
"$orderby": {orderByMembers}

orderByMembers
    orderByProperty
    orderByProperty , orderByMembers

orderByProperty
    columnName : sortingValue

sortingValue
"ASC"
"DESC"
"-1"
"1"
-1
1

asof
"$asof": date
"$asof": "datechars"
"$asof": scn
"$asof": +int

wmembers
    wpair
    wpair , wmembers

wpair
    columnProperty
    complexOperatorProperty

columnProperty
    columnName : string
    columnName : number
    columnName : date
    columnName : simpleOperatorObject
columnName : complexOperatorObject
    columnName : [complexValues]

columnName
"\p{Alpha}[[\p{Alpha}]]([[\p{Alnum}]#$_])*$"

complexOperatorProperty
    complexKey : [complexValues]
    complexKey : simpleOperatorObject 

complexKey
"$and"
"$or"

complexValues
    complexValue , complexValues

complexValue
    simpleOperatorObject
    complexOperatorObject
    columnObject

columnObject
    {columnProperty}

simpleOperatorObject
    {simpleOperatorProperty}

complexOperatorObject
    {complexOperatorProperty}

simpleOperatorProperty
"$eq" : string | number | date
"$ne" : string | number | date
"$lt" :  number | date
"$lte" : number | date
"$gt" : number | date
"$gte" : number | date
"$instr" : string 
"$ninstr" : string
"$like" : string
"$null" : null
"$notnull" : null
"$between" : betweenValue
"$like": string

betweenValue
    [null , betweenNotNull]
    [betweenNotNull , null]
    [betweenRegular , betweenRegular]

betweenNotNull
    number
    date
    
betweenRegular
    string
    number
    date

Data type definitions include the following:

string 
      JSONString
number
      JSONNumber
date
      {"$date":"datechars"}
scn
      {"$scn": +int}

Where:

datechars is an RFC3339 date format in UTC (Z)
        

JSONString
        ""
        " chars "
chars
        char
        char chars
char
        any-Unicode-character except-"-or-\-or-control-character
        \"
        \\
        \/
        \b
        \f
        \n
        \r
        \t
        \u four-hex-digits


JSONNumber
    int
    int frac
    int exp
    int frac exp
int
    digit
    digit1-9 digits 
    - digit
    - digit1-9 digits
frac
    . digits
exp
    e digits
digits
    digit
    digit digits
e
    e
    e+
    e-
    E
    E+
    E-

The FilterObject must be encoded according to Section 2.1 of RFC3986.

4 FilterObject Grammar Examples

4.1 ORDER BY property ($orderby)

Order by with literals

{
  "$orderby": {"SALARY":  "ASC","ENAME":"DESC"}
}

Order by with numbers

{
  "$orderby": {"SALARY":  -1,"ENAME":  1}
}

4.2 ASOF property ($asof)

With SCN (Implicit)

{
  "$asof": 1273919
}

With SCN (Explicit)

{
  "$asof": {"$scn": "1273919"}
}

With Date (Implicit)

{
  "$asof": "2014-06-30T00:00:00Z"
}

With Date (Explicit)

{
  "$asof": {"$date": "2014-06-30T00:00:00Z"}
}

4.3 EQUALS operator ($eq)

Implicit (Support String and Dates too)

{
  "SALARY": 1000
}

Explicit

{
  "SALARY": {"$eq": 1000}
}

Strings

{
  "ENAME": {"$eq":"SMITH"}
}

Dates

{
  "HIREDATE": {"$date": "1981-11-17T08:00:00Z"}
}

4.4 NOT EQUALS operator ($ne)

Number

{
  "SALARY": {"$ne": 1000}
}

String

{
  "ENAME": {"$ne":"SMITH"}
}

Dates

{
  "HIREDATE": {"$ne": {"$date":"1981-11-17T08:00:00Z"}}
}

4.5 LESS THAN operator ($lt)

(Supports dates and numbers only)

Numbers

{
  "SALARY": {"$lt": 10000}
}

Dates

{
  "SALARY": {"$lt": {"$date":"1999-12-17T08:00:00Z"}}
}

4.6 LESS THAN OR EQUALS operator ($lte)

(Supports dates and numbers only)

Numbers

{
  "SALARY": {"$lte": 10000}
}

Dates

{
  "HIREDATE": {"$lte": {"$date":"1999-12-17T08:00:00Z"}}
}

4.7 GREATER THAN operator ($gt)

(Supports dates and numbers only)

Numbers

{
  "SALARY": {"$gt": 10000}
}

Dates

{
  "SALARY": {"$gt": {"$date":"1999-12-17T08:00:00Z"}}
}

4.8 GREATER THAN OR EQUALS operator ($gte)

(Supports dates and numbers only)

Numbers

{
  "SALARY": {"$gte": 10000}
}

Dates

{
  "HIREDATE": {"$gte": {"$date":"1999-12-17T08:00:00Z"}}
}

4.9 In string operator ($instr)

(Supports strings only)

{
  "ENAME": {"$instr":"MC"}
}

4.10 Not in string operator ($ninstr)

(Supports strings only)

{
  "ENAME": {"$ninstr":"MC"}
}

4.11 LIKE operator ($like)

(Supports strings. Eescape character not supported to try to match expressions with _ or % characters.)

{
  "ENAME": {"$like":"AX%"}
}

4.12 BETWEEN operator ($between)

(Supports string, dates, and numbers)

Numbers

{
  "SALARY": {"$between": [1000,2000]}
}

Dates

{
  "SALARY": {"$between": [{"$date":"1989-12-17T08:00:00Z"},{"$date":"1999-12-17T08:00:00Z"}]}
}

Strings

{
  "ENAME": {"$between": ["A","C"]}
}

Null Ranges ($lte equivalent)
(Supported by numbers and dates only)

{
  "SALARY": {"$between": [null,2000]}
}

Null Ranges ($gte equivalent)
(Supported by numbers and dates only)

{
  "SALARY": {"$between": [1000,null]}
}

4.13 NULL operator ($null)

{
  "ENAME": {"$null": null}
}

4.14 NOT NULL operator ($notnull)

{
  "ENAME": {"$notnull": null}
}

4.15 AND operator ($and)

(Supports all operators, including $and and $or)

Column context delegation
(Operators inside $and will use the closest context defined in the JSON tree.)

{
  "SALARY": {"$and": [{"$gt": 1000},{"$lt":4000}]}
}

Column context override
(Example: salary greater than 1000 and name like S%)

{
  "SALARY": {"$and": [{"$gt": 1000},{"ENAME": {"$like":"S%"}} ] }
}

Implicit and in columns

{
  "SALARY": [{"$gt": 1000},{"$lt":4000}]
}

4.16 High order AND

(All first columns and or high order operators – $and and $ors – defined at the first level of the JSON will be joined and an implicit AND)

(Example: Salary greater than 1000 and name starts with S or T)

{
  "SALARY": {"$gt": 1000},
  "ENAME": {"$or": [{"$like":"S%"}, {"$like":"T%"}]}
}

Invalid expression (operators $lt and $gt lack column context)

{
  "$and": [{"$lt": 5000},{"$gt": 1000}]
}

Valid alternatives for the previous invalid expression

{
  "$and": [{"SALARY": {"$lt": 5000}}, {"SALARY": {"$gt": 1000}}]
}

{
  "SALARY": [{"$lt": 5000},{"$gt": 1000}]
}

{
  "SALARY": {"$and": [{"$lt": 5000},{"$gt": 1000}]}
}

4.17 OR operator ($or)

(Supports all operators including $and and $or)

Column context delegation
(Operators inside $or will use the closest context defined in the JSON tree)

{
  "ENAME": {"$or": [{"$eq":"SMITH"},{"$eq":"KING"}]}
}

Column context override
(Example: name starts with S or salary greater than 1000)

{
  "SALARY": {"$or": [{"$gt": 1000},{"ENAME": {"$like":"S%"}} ] }
}

MySQL REST Service

Developer's Guide

SQL Reference

Core REST APIs

SDK Reference

MRS Core REST APIs

1 MRS Core REST APIs

1.1 About MRS RESTful Web Services

1.2 About Request Path Syntax Requirements

1.3 About cURL and Testing RESTful Services

2 MRS REST Queries

2.1 Get Schema Metadata

2.2 Get Object Metadata

2.3 Get Object Data

2.3.1 Get Table Data Using Pagination

2.3.2 Get Table Data Using Query

2.3.3 Get Table Row Using Primary Key

2.4 Insert Table Row

2.5 Update/Insert Table Row

2.6 Delete Using Filter

3 FilterObject Grammar

4 FilterObject Grammar Examples

4.1 ORDER BY property ($orderby)

4.2 ASOF property ($asof)

4.3 EQUALS operator ($eq)

4.4 NOT EQUALS operator ($ne)

4.5 LESS THAN operator ($lt)

4.6 LESS THAN OR EQUALS operator ($lte)

4.7 GREATER THAN operator ($gt)

4.8 GREATER THAN OR EQUALS operator ($gte)

4.9 In string operator ($instr)

4.10 Not in string operator ($ninstr)

4.11 LIKE operator ($like)

4.12 BETWEEN operator ($between)

4.13 NULL operator ($null)

4.14 NOT NULL operator ($notnull)

4.15 AND operator ($and)

4.16 High order AND

4.17 OR operator ($or)