RapidAPI

• Java and RapidAPI use case
• Questions

Java and RapidAPI use case

import java.net.URI;
import java.net.http.HttpClient;
import java.net.http.HttpRequest;
import java.net.http.HttpResponse;

//RapidAPI header  https://rapidapi.com/spamakashrajtech/api/corona-virus-world-and-india-data
HttpRequest request = HttpRequest.newBuilder()
    .uri(URI.create("https://world-crime-news1.p.rapidapi.com/origins")) //url of the api
    .header("X-RapidAPI-Key", "db20d58282msh8ae390d360a0d8dp15f467jsnad3bdd095849")
    .header("X-RapidAPI-Host", "world-crime-news1.p.rapidapi.com")
    .method("GET", HttpRequest.BodyPublishers.noBody())
    .build();

//RapidAPI request and response
HttpResponse<String> response = HttpClient.newHttpClient().send(request, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofString());

//RapidAPI Body
System.out.println(response.body());

{"error":false,"data":[{"originId":"thethaiger","name":"Thethaiger News Crime","paginate":"/page/"},{"originId":"theportugalnews","name":"The Portugal News Crime","paginate":false},{"originId":"indiatoday","name":"India today News Crime","paginate":"?page="},{"originId":"japantoday","name":"Japan today News Crime","paginate":"?page="},{"originId":"africanews","name":"Africa News","paginate":false}]}

package com.nighthawk.spring_portfolio.mvc.covid;

import java.net.URI;
import java.net.http.HttpClient;
import java.net.http.HttpRequest;
import java.net.http.HttpResponse;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.HashMap;

import org.json.simple.JSONObject;
import org.json.simple.parser.JSONParser;
import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus;
import org.springframework.http.ResponseEntity;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.*;

@RestController // annotation to create a RESTful web services
@RequestMapping("/api/covid")  //prefix of API
public class CovidApiController {
    private JSONObject body; //last run result
    private HttpStatus status; //last run status
    String last_run = null; //last run day of month

    // GET Covid 19 Stats
    @GetMapping("/daily")   //added to end of prefix as endpoint
    public ResponseEntity<JSONObject> getCovid() {

        //calls API once a day, sets body and status properties
        String today = new Date().toString().substring(0,10); 
        if (last_run == null || !today.equals(last_run))
        {
            try {  //APIs can fail (ie Internet or Service down)

                //RapidAPI header
                HttpRequest request = HttpRequest.newBuilder()
                    .uri(URI.create("https://world-crime-news1.p.rapidapi.com/origins"))
                    .header("X-RapidAPI-Key", "db20d58282msh8ae390d360a0d8dp15f467jsnad3bdd095849")
                    .header("X-RapidAPI-Host", "world-crime-news1.p.rapidapi.com")
                    .method("GET", HttpRequest.BodyPublishers.noBody())
                    .build();

                //RapidAPI request and response
                HttpResponse<String> response = HttpClient.newHttpClient().send(request, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofString());

                //JSONParser extracts text body and parses to JSONObject
                this.body = (JSONObject) new JSONParser().parse(response.body());
                this.status = HttpStatus.OK;  //200 success
                this.last_run = today;
            }
            catch (Exception e) {  //capture failure info
                HashMap<String, String> status = new HashMap<>();
                status.put("status", "RapidApi failure: " + e);

                //Setup object for error
                this.body = (JSONObject) status;
                this.status = HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR; //500 error
                this.last_run = null;
            }
        }

        //return JSONObject in RESTful style
        return new ResponseEntity<>(body, status);
    }
}

Questions

1. Benefits of using an API?

• Some benefits are that less human effort is needed because the API will be managed by the computer
• More efficient and better data values than a human could input

1. Benefits of backend implementation?

• Easier to use an API and less time spent