JSONRequest

[GoogleCodeExporter]

New Javascript and web standards may make it possible to submit a request body 
encoded in JSON.
See http://www.json.org/JSONRequest.html

Original issue reported on code.google.com by john.david.duncan on 22 Sep 2007 at 6:13

[GoogleCodeExporter]

requestNumber = JSONRequest.post(
    "https://json.penzance.org/request", 
    {
        user: "doctoravatar@yahoo.com",
        t: "vlIj",
        zip: 94089, 
        forecast: 7
    }, 
 ...
}
becomes

POST /request HTTP/1.1
Host: json.penzance.org
Content-Type: application/jsonrequest
Content-Length: 72
Content-Encoding: identity
Domain: www.pirate.net

{"user":"doctoravatar@penzance.com","forecast":7,"t":"vlIj","zip":94089}
--------
Domain is the original document.domain of the page from which the request is 
issued. It can be used by the 
server when deciding to allow the request.

Original comment by john.david.duncan on 22 Sep 2007 at 8:25

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Noteworthy:
* Request and response MUST be UTF-8
* If the request content-type is application/jsonrequest, then the response 
content-type must also be 
application/jsonrequest, and the response content body must be valid JSON.
* The request may not use HTTP authentication.   (I cannot enforce this; it's 
up to the administrator to not use 
mod_auth). 
* The request may not include cookies, and the response may not set them. 
* Handling of the Domain: header is probably up to some other module.

Original comment by john.david.duncan on 22 Sep 2007 at 8:33

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Only one change needs to be made to support  JSONRequest.get() in mod_ndb:

 - If the request content-type is application/jsonrequest, then 
     * Set the response content-type to application/jsonrequest, and
     * Require the output format to be JSON. 

But what if the desired output format (in httpd.conf) is non-JSON?

If the request included an "Accept: application/jsonrequest" header (something 
which is not in the proposal), I 
would be able to reply with 406 Not Acceptable.  A 406 response "SHOULD" 
include a response body 
"containing a list of available entity characteristics and locations from which 
the user or user agent can 
choose the one most appropriate."  This might makes sense if you somehow know 
that there's a related JSON 
endpoint nearby.   

HTTP Sec. 14.1 says "The Accept request-header field can be used to specify 
certain media types which are 
acceptable for the response.  Accept headers can be used to indicate that the 
request is specifically limited to 
a small set of desired types, as in the case of a request for an inline image." 
 This clearly seems to apply to 
JSONRequest.   And it sanctions the 406 response: "If an Accept header is 
present, and if the server cannot 
send a response which is acceptable according to the combined Accept field 
value, then the server SHOULD 
send a 406." 

Alternately, I can send a 403 Forbidden.

Original comment by john.david.duncan on 22 Sep 2007 at 9:07

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Original comment by john.david.duncan on 24 Sep 2007 at 4:04

• Changed title: _JSONRequest _
• Added labels: Milestone-1.1
• Removed labels: Milestone-Rolling

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Original comment by john.david.duncan on 26 Oct 2007 at 5:59

• Changed state: Started

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Committed in svn rev 472.

Original comment by john.david.duncan on 29 Oct 2007 at 6:11

• Changed state: FixPending

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Original comment by john.david.duncan on 25 Jun 2009 at 4:01

• Changed state: Fixed