xmysql: one command to generate REST APIs for any MySql database

Why this ?

Generating REST APIs quickly for a MySql database which does not follow conventions of frameworks such as rails, django etc is a small adventure that one rather like to avoid ..

Hence this.

Powered by node packages : (express, mysql) => { xmysql }

Setup and Usage

npm install -g xmysql

xmysql -h localhost -u mysqlUsername -p mysqlPassword -d databaseName

http://localhost:3000

That's it!

Features

• Generates API for ANY MySql database
• Serves APIs irrespective of naming conventions of primary keys, foreign keys, tables etc
• CRUD : Usual suspects
• Support for composite primary keys
• Pagination
• Sorting
• Fields
• Relations
• Run dynamic queries

Use HTTP clients like Postman or similar tools to invoke REST API calls

---

Download node, mysql (setup mysql), sample database - if you haven't on your system.

Root URL

Root URL (localhost:3000/) returns all REST API urls for each table in schema.

CRUD APIs Usual Suspects

• GET       /api/tableName
• POST      /api/tableName
• GET       /api/tableName/:id
• PUT       /api/tableName/:id
• GET       /api/tableName/count
• GET       /api/tableName/exists
• GET       /api/parentTable/:id/childTable
• DELETE  /api/tableName/:id
• POST     /dynamic

Other APIS

• GET      /api/tableName/describe
• GET      /api/tables

Support for composite primary keys

___ (three underscores)

/api/payments/103___JM555205

___ : If there are multiple primary keys - seperate them by three underscores as shown

Pagination

_p & _size

_p indicates page and _size indicates size of response rows

By default 20 records and max of 100 are returned per GET request on a table.

/api/payments?_size=50

/api/payments?_p=2

/api/payments?_p=2&_size=50

Sorting

_sort

/api/payments?_sort=column1

eg: sorts ascending by column1

/api/payments?_sort=-column1

eg: sorts descending by column1

/api/payments?_sort=column1,-column2

eg: sorts ascending by column1 and descending by column2

Fields

/api/payments?_fields=customerNumber,checkNumber

eg: gets only customerNumber and checkNumber in response of each record

/api/payments?_fields=-checkNumber

eg: gets all fields in table row but not checkNumber

Run dynamic queries

Dynamic queries on a database can be run by POST method to URL localhost:3000/dynamic

This is enabled only when using local mysql server i.e -h localhost or -h 127.0.0.1 option.

Post body takes two fields : query and params.

query: SQL query or SQL prepared query (ones with ?? and ?)

params : parameters for SQL prepared query

POST /dynamic   

    {
        "query": "select * from ?? limit 1,20",
        "params": ["customers"]
    }

Relational Tables

xmysql identifies foreign key relations automatically and provides GET api.

/api/customers/103/payments

eg: Customers is parent table and payments is child table. API invocation will result in all payments with customer 103.

When to use ?

• You need just REST APIs without much hassle for (ANY) MySql database.
• You are learning new frontend frameworks and need REST APIs for your MySql database.
• You are working on a demo, hacks etc

When NOT to use ?

• If you are in need of a full blown MVC framework, ACL, Authorisation etc - Not this.
• Other times not mentioned in when to use section