What is HATEOAS?

HATEOAS is a principle of REST architecture that states that interaction with a server should be done through hypermedia that provides information about the possible actions and states of a resource. This means that the API not only returns data, but also provides links to related resources and possible actions that the client can take.
HATEOAS working principles:

Resource Navigation: Clients can navigate between related resources by following the links provided. This reduces the need to know specific URLs and simplifies interaction.

Dynamic discovery: Clients can discover available actions and transitions based on information provided by the server, rather than from a fixed set of static URLs.

Application State: The server manages the state of the application by providing the client with the necessary links to perform further actions.

How does HATEOAS work?

In the context of HATEOAS, each resource representation that a client receives from a server includes links to related resources and actions. For example, if a client requests information about a user, the server may return not only user data, but also links to related resources such as the user’s order list, the user’s profile, and so on.

An example of HATEOAS in action:

Resource Request: A client sends a request for data about a resource, such as a user.

Server response: The server returns data about the user and includes links to other related resources. For example, the response may include a link to a list of the user’s orders and an option to update the user’s data.

Navigation: The client uses these links to perform additional actions, such as viewing orders or updating user information.

Benefits of HATEOAS

Simplified interaction: Customers can interact with the API by following the links provided, without needing to know specific URLs or the API structure. This simplifies interaction and reduces the risk of querying errors.

Flexibility and extensibility: When new resources are added or the API structure changes, the server can simply update the links without breaking the existing interface for clients.

Self-describing APIs: The API becomes more self-descriptive as links and available actions are provided in responses, making the API easier to understand and use.

HATEOAS implementation

Implementing HATEOAS in a RESTful API may involve the following steps:

Resource Design: Determine which resources and actions should be accessible via hypermedia. Think about which links and actions will be useful to clients.

Implement links: When creating a resource view, include links to related resources and possible actions in the response. This can be implemented through special fields or structures in the JSON/XML response.

Update and maintain: When changing the API or adding new features, update the links and actions in the response so that clients can continue to interact with the updated resources.

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Pagination in REST API

Pagination is the process of dividing a large set of data into separate pages, each containing a certain number of items. This method is necessary to prevent sending huge amounts of data to the client in a single request, which can slow down the system and create excessive load on the server.

Why pagination is important:

Optimize performance: The server can efficiently process requests and reduce response time by sending only a portion of the data instead of the entire collection.
Improved user experience: Users receive data faster, making the application more responsive.
Resource Management: Pagination reduces the load on server infrastructure by avoiding unnecessary memory and CPU usage.

How pagination works:

Typically, clients request data in chunks, passing parameters such as page number and number of elements on the page in the requests. For example, a user may request “page 5” with “10 elements on each page”. The server responds by providing data for that page and sometimes metadata (such as the total number of elements or pages) so that the client can continue to navigate.

Key aspects of pagination:

“limit” and ‘offset’ parameters: These are the most common pagination parameters. “Limit” specifies how many elements to return, and ‘offset’ specifies which element to start sampling from.

Pagination: In addition to data, the server can return links to previous and next pages to facilitate navigation.

Data filtering in the REST API

Filtering is the ability to limit data output based on certain criteria. This mechanism allows users to retrieve only the information they need, reducing the amount of data transferred and speeding up query processing.

Why filtering is needed:

Server load reduction: Filtering helps reduce the amount of data the server has to process and transmit.

User-friendliness: Users can quickly find the information they need by applying filters for specific fields or parameters.

How filtering works:

Filtering is usually done through query parameters, where users can specify criteria for data selection. For example, you can filter records by date, category, status, and other fields. For example, a query can return only active orders or users from a specific city.

Types of filtering:

By exact match: For example, a query can return records that have the “status” field equal to “active”.

By value range: This can be useful for dates or numeric data. For example, you can query for orders created in a specific time period.

By multiple criteria: Users can combine multiple filters to narrow down the selection more precisely. For example, query products of a specific category and price range.

Sorting data in the REST API

Sorting is a mechanism that allows you to organize data by certain criteria, such as alphabetically, by creation date, or by descending price. Sorting is especially important when the user needs not just to retrieve data, but to see it in a specific order.

Benefits of sorting:

User-friendly: Users can see data in the order that is most important to them. For example, this could be sorting items by price or by date added.

Interface Improvement: Sorting makes data more organized and easier to understand, especially if the data set is large.

How sorting works:

Typically, sorting in REST APIs is performed via a query parameter, where the user specifies by which field and in what order to sort the data (ascending or descending). For example, a user can request a list of users sorted alphabetically by name.

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What is authentication and authorization?

Authentication is the process of confirming a user’s authenticity, that is, verifying their identity. For example, when a user enters a username and password, the system must verify that this data is correct and belongs to the real user.

Authorization is the process of granting or restricting access to certain resources or actions based on a user’s rights. For example, a regular user may only have access to view their data, while an administrator may have access to all system data.

OAuth 2.0: the foundation for secure authentication

OAuth 2.0 is a standard protocol for authentication that provides access tokens to work with resources on behalf of a user. This protocol is widely used in web applications to allow third-party applications to securely interact with resources without passing logins and passwords.

How OAuth 2.0 works:

OAuth 2.0 uses a model where different roles are separated:

• A Client is an application that requests access to resources.
• Resource Server is the server that stores the user’s resources (such as APIs).
• Authorization Server – A server that validates the user and issues an access token.
• User (Resource Owner) – The resource owner who grants access authorization.

The main stages of OAuth 2.0:

Authorization Request: The client (e.g., mobile app) redirects the user to an authorization server where the user enters their login credentials (e.g., username and password).

Granting permissions: The user agrees to allow the app access to their resources (e.g., allow the app to access their email).

Obtaining an authorization code: After successful authentication, the authorization server sends the client a code that will be used to obtain a token.

Obtaining an access token: The client sends the code to the authorization server and receives an Access Token, which is used to work with the API.

Accessing Resources: The client uses the token to access the user’s resources on the resource server.

Types of tokens in OAuth 2.0:

Access Token: An access token used to make requests on behalf of the user. This token usually has a limited validity period.

Refresh Token: A token that allows a new Access Token to be obtained without re-authenticating the user. It is used for a long-term session.

Benefits of OAuth 2.0:

Security: OAuth 2.0 allows applications to work with users’ resources without asking them for logins and passwords.
Flexibility: Supports different types of clients (web applications, mobile applications, servers).
Multi-level authorization: Ability to grant access to only certain parts of resources.

Disadvantages of OAuth 2.0:

Configuration complexity: OAuth 2.0 requires configuring multiple components (clients, servers, tokens), which increases the complexity of implementation.
Token security: If an access token is compromised, an attacker can access user data.

JWT: A standard for data transfer

JSON Web Token (JWT) is a compact and secure format for transferring data between two parties in the form of tokens. JWT is often used to transfer user information after user authentication.
How JWT works:

JWT consists of three parts separated by dots:

Header: Contains information about the type of token and the encryption algorithm used (e.g., HMAC SHA256).

Payload: Contains encoded data (e.g., user ID, access rights, and token expiration date).

Signature: This is a digital signature to ensure that the data has not been altered. The signature is created using the secret key and algorithm specified in the header.

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In addition, the development of REST was more focused on creating new APIs. GraphQL developers, on the other hand, focused on API performance and flexibility.

Following are some other differences.

Client-side query
The following describes how a REST request works.

HTTP verbs that define the action
A URL that defines the resource where the HTTP command should be executed
Parameters and values to analyze if you want to create or modify an object in an existing server resource
For example, you use a GET request to retrieve read-only data from a resource, a POST to add a new resource record, or a PUT to update a resource.

In contrast, GraphQL queries use the following:

• A query to retrieve read-only data
• Data modification function
• Subscribe to receive event-based or streaming data updates
• The data format describes how the server should return the data, including objects and fields that match the server-side schema. You can also enter new data. Internally, GraphQL sends each client request as an HTTP POST request.

Server-side schema

GraphQL uses a server-side schema to define data and data services, which is different from the REST API.

The schema, written in the GraphQL schema definition language, contains the following information:

Object types and fields belonging to each object
Server-side resolver functions that define the operation for each field
The schema clearly defines the types that describe all the data available in the system and how clients can access or modify that data.

On the other hand, server-side schema is not required for REST APIs. But you can define it additionally for efficient API design, documentation, and client development.

Version control
As APIs evolve, their data structures and operations may change. Clients unaware of these changes can crash their systems or make unknown errors.

To address this issue, REST APIs often use a version detection function in the URL, such as https://example.com/api/v1/person/12341. However, version control is not mandatory and can cause errors.

For GraphQL, backwards compatibility of the API is required. Thus, deleted fields return an error message and fields with an outdated tag return a warning.

Error handling
GraphQL is a strictly typed API architecture, so it requires a detailed description of the data, its structure, and data operations in the schema. Because of the level of schema detail, the system can automatically detect query errors and provide useful error messages.

REST APIs are loosely typed and you must build error handling into the appropriate code. For example, if a PUT request analyzes a numeric value as text rather than an integer, the system does not automatically identify the error.

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What is load testing?

Load testing is the process of simulating the operation of a system under increased load in order to evaluate its performance, stability, and ability to handle a large number of requests. For REST APIs, load testing helps answer questions such as:

• How many requests per second can the API handle?
• How does the system respond to peak loads?
• Which resources (CPU, memory, network) are the performance bottleneck?

The main goal of load testing is to determine the maximum throughput of the API, and to identify potential problems such as slow response, high load errors, or server crashes.

The main types of load testing

Load testing includes several different types of tests, each of which solves specific problems:

Load Testing: Evaluates how the API performs under an average or expected load. The goal is to understand if the system can handle normal operating conditions.

Stress Testing: Determines the limits of the system by gradually increasing the load until the API can no longer cope. This helps to identify maximum throughput and understand how the system responds to overload.

Spike Testing: Tests API performance under conditions of a sudden increase in requests (for example, during an ad campaign or flash mob). It is important to understand whether the system can recover quickly from such spikes.

Endurance Testing: Tests how the API performs under prolonged load. This helps identify possible problems with memory leaks or performance degradation over time.

REST API Load Testing Tools

There are many tools that simplify the REST API load testing process. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Apache JMeter: One of the best known load testing tools. It supports HTTP(S) requests and other protocols, has flexible settings to simulate different load scenarios and provides detailed reports on test results.

Gatling: A developer-oriented tool with good performance for API load testing. It allows you to write test scenarios in Scala and visualize test results in the form of reports.

k6: An open source load testing tool written in JavaScript. k6 has good scalability and integrates with monitoring systems, making it convenient for testing and analyzing API performance.

Artillery: A load testing tool that also supports API functionality testing. Artillery is easy to use and allows you to easily create load scenarios using configuration files.

How to perform REST API load testing

The API load testing process consists of several steps:

Defining testing objectives

Before you start testing, you need to clearly define the objectives. For example:

Determine the maximum number of requests per second that the API can handle without significant delays.
Test how the API responds to sudden load spikes.
Identify infrastructure bottlenecks, such as overloaded databases or narrow network links.

Create a test scenario

This step defines what activities the load testing will simulate. For example:

Simulating users submitting data requests.
Simulating creating, updating, or deleting resources through the API.
Performing several different operations at the same time.

Running a test

Testing usually starts with a small load that is gradually increased to evaluate how the system responds to the growing number of requests. It is important to record metrics such as response time, error rates, and server resource utilization (CPU, memory, network).

Analyze results

Once testing is complete, the results are analyzed to determine which parts of the system need to be optimized. Key metrics to pay attention to are:

Response time: How fast the API responds to requests under different loads.
Error rate: How often the server returns errors (e.g., 5xx) as the load grows.
Throughput: How many requests per second the API can handle.
Resource utilization: How the load on server resources (CPU, memory, disk) changes as the number of requests increases.

API Optimization

Based on the findings, changes can be made to the API architecture and code to improve performance. These can be actions such as:

Optimizing database queries.
Using caching to reduce the load on the server.
Scaling the infrastructure (e.g. adding new servers).

How load testing helps improve API performance

Load testing can identify weaknesses in API performance, which helps in optimizing and improving its stability. Here are a few ways it can impact performance:

Detecting bottlenecks: Testing helps you understand where in the system delays occur – for example, it could be an overloaded database or not enough servers.

Improved scalability: Test results predict how the API will behave as the number of users increases and prepare the system for scaling.

Optimize resources: Testing identifies resource-intensive processes that can be optimized to reduce server load and improve overall performance.

Improved reliability: Identifying weaknesses and optimizations allows the API to handle loads more efficiently, increasing its stability under real-world peak loads.

Load testing of the REST API is an important tool to ensure its high performance and reliability. Conducting such tests helps in identifying and fixing issues that can negatively impact users when the load increases. Regular testing of the API at various stages of development and operation allows you to keep the system in an optimal state and be ready for growth in the number of users and data.

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Basics of working with RESTful API

RESTful API is built on the use of standard HTTP methods:

• GET – used to retrieve data from the server. For example, to get a list of products or information about a user.
• POST – sending data to the server, for example, creating a new record (user, order).
• PUT and PATCH – to update existing data on the server, for example, to change information about a user.
• DELETE – deleting data from the server, for example, deleting a specific record.

These methods allow clients to interact with the server by performing operations on resources such as user data, orders, products, etc.

API tools

On the client side, there are many tools to send requests to RESTful APIs:

Web technologies: In a browser, you can use built-in methods to send HTTP requests. For convenience, libraries such as Axios or jQuery are often used to simplify API handling and provide additional features such as automatic error handling.

Mobile platforms: For mobile apps (iOS, Android), there are also libraries that help you interact with the API easily. For example, for iOS you can use Alamofire library and for Android you can use Retrofit library.

These tools make interacting with the API convenient and easy by providing the necessary methods to send requests, receive responses, and process data.

Client-side data processing

Once the API request is made and the data is received, it needs to be processed on the client. In web applications, this usually means displaying the data on a page. For example, if the API returns a list of users, this data can be displayed as a table or list on the web page.

For mobile applications, data processing may involve displaying the retrieved information on the device screen or saving it to a local database for offline use.

Error handling

When working with RESTful APIs on the client side, it is important to consider the possibility of errors. For example, the server may be unavailable, data may be transmitted in the wrong format, or a request may be rejected due to lack of access rights.

To improve the user experience, you need to handle errors on the client, such as:

• Display a message to the user if the request was not successful (for example, “Server unavailable”).
• Invite the user to retry the request or provide alternative actions.
• Handle HTTP status codes such as 404 (resource not found) or 500 (internal server error) and inform the user of the problem.

This processing makes the application more stable and informative for users.

Authentication and authorization

Many APIs require authentication in order to restrict access to certain resources. One of the most common ways of authentication is through the use of tokens. The client application receives a token after a user logs in and sends it along with requests to the API. This allows the server to verify that the request comes from an authorized user.

Examples of token usage include OAuth 2.0 and JWT (JSON Web Tokens), which provide reliable and secure data transfer between client and server.

Integration with frontend frameworks

Modern frontend frameworks such as React, Vue.js, and Angular actively use RESTful APIs to retrieve and update data. These frameworks provide tools to simplify the API and manage the state of data in the application. For example, in React, you can easily integrate API requests and update the UI based on the received data.

Frameworks also provide mechanisms for handling errors, managing load state and updating data in real time, which makes working with RESTful APIs as convenient and efficient as possible.

Working with RESTful APIs on the client side is an important part of creating modern web and mobile applications. The main tasks include sending requests, processing the received data, proper error handling and implementing authentication mechanisms. With the help of available tools and frameworks, developers can effectively integrate RESTful API into their projects and provide convenient user interaction with the server.

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Data caching

Caching is one of the most effective ways to speed up API performance, especially when the API returns the same data frequently. In doing so, requests can be processed faster because the server doesn’t have to access the database or other resources every time.

HTTP caching: Use the Cache-Control, ETag, and Expires headers so that browsers and proxies can store responses on the client side and not have to contact the server each time a request is made.
Server-side caching: Store the results of frequently requested data in memory using technologies like Redis or Memcached. This allows the server to return results instantly without having to perform complex operations again.

Reduce the amount of data in responses

The less data passed in an API response, the faster that response will be delivered to the client.

• Selective fields: Allow the client to request only the required fields, avoiding passing unnecessary data. For example, add a fields parameter to requests so that the client can specify which fields it wants.
• Pagination: If queries return large amounts of data, use pagination to limit the number of records returned. This will reduce the query processing time and the amount of data transferred.
• Response compression: Use gzip or Brotli to compress data before sending it to the client. This is especially effective for large JSON objects and arrays.

Database Optimization

APIs are often directly affected by database performance. Optimizing queries and database architecture can significantly improve API speed.

• Indexes: Ensure that the database has indexes configured for frequently queried fields. This will speed up the execution of SELECT and UPDATE queries.
• Limit the number of queries: Reduce the number of database accesses if possible. For example, combine multiple queries into one using JOIN operations, or use aggregate queries to retrieve data at one time.
• Query caching: For complex and frequently executed queries, use caching of results to reuse them in subsequent queries.

Asynchronous query processing

If your API handles heavy operations such as analyzing large amounts of data or integrating with other services, perform them asynchronously.

• Background tasks: Instead of making the client wait for the request processing to complete, move heavy tasks to the background using queues (e.g. RabbitMQ, Amazon SQS) and notify the client of completion via webhooks or polling requests.
• Thread pooling: Use multithreading or API-level asynchronous processing to execute requests in parallel. In languages like Python (using asyncio) or Node.js, this will allow the API to process more requests simultaneously.

Rate Limiting

To protect the API from overload or attacks, you should implement a mechanism to limit the number of requests.

• Rate Limiting: Set limits on the number of requests from a single user or IP address in a certain period of time. This will protect the server from excessive load and ensure stability.
• Token Bucket: Use the popular Token Bucket algorithm, which allows you to control the number of requests by giving users “tokens” that they can use to request APIs.

Load Balancing

Load balancing helps distribute requests across multiple servers, allowing you to handle more users at once and minimize latency.

Load Balancer: Configure a load balancer (e.g. Nginx, HAProxy) to distribute requests across multiple API server instances. This will help distribute the load evenly and prevent one server from being overloaded.
Scaling: Use horizontal scaling by adding more servers to handle the increasing number of requests. This will allow the API to scale as the load grows.

Using a CDN

Content Delivery Network (CDN) helps speed up data delivery to end users by storing content on servers closer to the user.

CDN for static content: If your API returns static files (such as images or JSON files), store them in a CDN to reduce load time and reduce the load on the API server.

Monitoring and Logging

For effective optimization, it’s important to monitor API performance in real-time and identify bottlenecks.

Performance Monitoring: Use monitoring tools (e.g. Prometheus, Grafana) to track API response times, number of requests, errors, and other metrics.
Request Logging: Keep logs of requests and errors to track which requests are causing delays or errors. This will help you find and fix problems faster.

Optimizing RESTful API performance requires a comprehensive approach. Applying caching, database optimization, asynchronous processing, and load balancing will allow your API to handle increased load and provide users with a fast and reliable service. Implementing these techniques will not only improve the user experience, but also help your API be ready to scale and perform under high load conditions.

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What are the similarities between SOAP and REST?

Many different programming languages, architectures, and platforms can be used to create applications. Sharing data between these different technologies is difficult because they have different data formats. Both SOAP and REST came into existence in an attempt to solve this problem.

SOAP and REST can be used to create APIs or communication points between different applications. The terms web service and API are used interchangeably. However, APIs are a broader category. Web services are a specific type of API.

The following are other similarities between SOAP and REST.

• Both protocols describe rules and standards for how applications create, process, and respond to requests for data from other applications;
• They both use the standardized Internet protocol HTTP to exchange information;
• They both support SSL/TLS for secure encrypted communication;
• You can use SOAP or REST to create secure, scalable, and fault-tolerant distributed systems.

When should I use SOAP and REST?

Before choosing between SOAP and REST, study the scenarios and requirements of API users. The following criteria are worthy of consideration.

Overall application design

Modern applications such as mobile and hybrid applications work better with REST APIs. REST provides scalability and flexibility to develop applications using modern architectural patterns such as microservices and containers. However, if you need to integrate or extend legacy systems that already have SOAP APIs built in, you may be better off continuing to use SOAP.

Security

Public APIs have lower security requirements and require more flexibility so that anyone can interact with them. Therefore, REST is the best choice when creating public APIs. Conversely, some private APIs for internal corporate tasks (e.g., reporting for compliance) may benefit from the tightened security measures in WS-Security of SOAP.

ACID Compliance

Do your API users require strict consistency and data integrity across the transaction chain? For example, financial transactions require the failure of an entire batch of data updates if even a single update fails.

SOAP has a built-in set of ACID properties. And SOAP may be better suited to meet high data integrity requirements. In this case, the REST API may need additional program modules to control state at the server or database level.

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Step 1: Choose a version control strategy

It is important to select an API version control strategy during the API design phase of the API lifecycle . This version management strategy should be common to all APIs in your portfolio. The earlier you think about versioning, the more likely you are to choose sustainable design patterns that will reduce the occurrence of critical changes. An early decision about API versioning will also help your team build a realistic roadmap for how your APIs will evolve to meet consumer needs for years to come.

Step 2: Confirm if a new version is needed

Change is an inevitable part of API development, but not every change requires a new version. Before deciding to release a new version, teams should evaluate the scope and impact of the change they want to make and determine if there is a way to do it in a backward-compatible way. For example, you might decide to add a new operation instead of changing an existing one. If there’s no way to avoid critical changes, you might consider holding off on introducing them until you release an exciting new feature that improves your customers’ experience.

Step 3: Update your documentation

If you’ve decided it’s time for a release of your API, it’s important to update your API documentation to include release notes. For example, you’ll need to communicate the reasons for the change, how it will affect consumers, and how you can access the new version. You may also want to include a release schedule and migration instructions, especially if you plan to eventually stop supporting the old version.

Step 4: Roll out the new version gradually

If possible, teams should release the new version of the API in stages, starting with a small group of users. They should then gather feedback from these users and address any issues before releasing the new version more widely. This approach helps teams ensure that the new version works as expected and provides valuable insight into how real consumers interact with the API.

Step 5: Cancel support for the old version

Once the new version is stable, teams should track adoption to assess how many users have successfully migrated to it. If adoption rates are as expected, teams can create and announce a timeline for discontinuing support for the old version. At this point, it is important to offer support to users who continue to use the old version, as they may need help migrating to the new version.

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What topics to include in Best practices

While many of the topics in API documentation are standard, there is usually a detailed list of things you need to know about working with APIs. This information is only available upon request from developers.

The list of topics may include topics such as:

• pagination,
• time ranges,
• fault tolerance,
• cache values,
• connectivity,
• timeouts,
• downtime,
• SSL,
• versions,
• testing and validation,
• exports,
• languages,
• number processing,
• resource expansion,
• notifications,
• CORS,
• localization
• and more.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp API best practices include tips on fault tolerance, using specific requests, authentication, cache values, connectivity, and registration. With fault tolerance, Mailchimp reminds developers that downtime sometimes happens, so they should plan to handle scripting accordingly if the API fails to respond. With ad-hoc queries, Mailchimp alerts users to the time it may take if a query is too generic and therefore returns too much information.

Coinbase

Coinbase does not link to topics such as best practices; instead, the navigation bar shows a list of topics. Pagination is one of these topics worth focusing on. How does pagination relate to the API? Suppose an API endpoint returns all the items in a user’s account. There could be thousands of items, and if all items were returned in a single response, it could take a long time for the API to collect and return a lot of data. As a result, like a Google search, the response returns a limited set, such as the first ten items, and then contains a URL that can be used to navigate to the next set of responses. Pagination refers to navigating to the next page of responses.

Earlier, defining the characteristics of REST, HATEOS or “Hypermedia as an application state engine” was mentioned. Links in responses that return more results are one example of HATEOS.

Programmatically processing a URL to get more responses can be quite a challenge. If you want all items returned and then filtered and sorted by finding specific values to retrieve, how would you do this using the URL returned in the response? The team can advise developers working with these scripts. Most likely, the endpoint will offer filters as parameters to apply to the endpoint so that the initial response contains the desired set of elements. This type of advice may be appropriate in API best practices.

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