What should "not implemented" look like?

[edeutsch]

What should it look like when a PROXI server does not implement a particular endpoint?

I suggest returning HTTP error code 450:

http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/api/proxi/v0.1/proteins?resultType=compact

{ "detail": "Although this is an officially defined PROXI endpoint, it has not yet been implemented at this server", "status": 450, "title": "Endpoint not implemented", "type": "about:blank" }

What do you think?

[ypriverol]

@edeutsch apparently the error code for Not Yet implemented is 501. The 450 is used for Easter eggs? .

See the error code explanation in Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HTTP_status_codes

501 Not Implemented The server either does not recognize the request method, or it lacks the ability to fulfil the request. Usually this implies future availability (e.g., a new feature of a web-service API).[64]

[edeutsch]

My objection to this was that my reading of the original specification is that 501 means something else very specific: that is the server does not implement the HTTP method, e.g. GET, POST, OPTIONS, PUT, DELETE, etc.: https://www.checkupdown.com/status/E501.html

So 501 would be completely appropriate if someone sent an HTTP PUT to /datasets and /datasets does not support PUT, only GET.

But you are right that the wikipedia article seems to interpret this very liberally.

I would vote against overloading an error code that seems to have a different meaning in the official standard, and would suggest we pick a new code. But I am happy to go with whatever the group decides.

[ypriverol]

Hi Eric:

Reading a little bit more about this here: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Status/501

Is clear for future implementation should be using 501 for method not allowed (POST, PUT .. ) it should be 405 Method Not Allowed.

[edeutsch]

okay, I still feel that 501 is designed to mean something different than our meaning. But I agree it is the closest. So fine, let's go with 501.

[edeutsch]

We have agreed to go with 501. The PROXI status monitor: http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/PROXI.php shows that some resources are returning 501. All other resources should update their system to return 501 when appropriate instead of 404 as some are doing now.