Process for traversing through large rest data graph
View Patent ↗A method for data discovery and retrieval is provided. A REST API client library provides a discovery document for a data graph. The discovery document is structured data containing: (1) a list of data graph endpoints and (2) the format of the information each endpoint returns. The client library uses the REST API to query the server for a data object, wrapping the data object in a new data object. The new data object contains: (1) fixed data from the server-returned data object and (2) a function for each graph node that is directly connected to the requested data object. When these functions execute, the next data objects in the data graph can be retrieved, allowing for quick graph navigation. Given a discovery document and the ability to generate closures based on the document, a query object can be constructed that traverses several layers of the API at once.
1. A computer-implemented method for data discovery and retrieval comprising:
providing a discovery document for an application programming interface that shows how to retrieve data from a specific node;
receiving a single query for data retrieval from a plurality of nodes constructed with a plurality of closures generated using the discovery document, where the single query traverses more than one part of the application programming interface by chaining together the generated closures thereby requiring only one roundtrip to a server in order to retrieve the data from the plurality of nodes;
collapsing the closures into a parseable structured markup language object;
sending the structured markup language object to the server where the chained closures may be executed as a series of queries; and
receiving an aggregated result from the series of queries executed by the server.
2. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein computer executable code that causes one or more processors to execute the steps of:
providing a discovery document for an application programming interface that shows how to retrieve data from a specific node;
receiving a single query for data retrieval from a plurality of nodes constructed with a plurality of closures generated using the discovery document, where the single query traverses more than one part of the application programming interface by chaining together the generated closures thereby requiring only one roundtrip to a server in order to retrieve the data from the plurality of nodes;
collapsing the closures into a parseable structured markup language object;
sending the structured markup language object to the server where the chained closures may be executed as a series of queries; and
receiving an aggregated result from the series of queries executed by the server.