Representations and resources defined by the standard
The standard defines a small set of JSON representations covering the generic constructs in a domain object model including the following:
- A list of links to domain objects
- A single domain object
- A property, collection, belonging to a domain object
- An action that may be invoked on a domain object
- An action result (which will typically include a domain object or list)
- A domain service (essentially a stateless domain object)
- A small number of very specific representations such as Home, Version, and User.
Restful Objects also defines a standard set of resources for accessing or manipulating these representations. The specification defines which HTTP methods may be used with each resource, and their meaning. The table below shows a partial summary:
| HTTP method | Object | Property | Collection | Action[clarify] | Action Invoke[clarify] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GET | Object summary, member summary, property values | Property, details and value | Collection details and content | Action prompt | Invoke (if query only) |
| PUT | Update or clear multiple property values | Update or clear value | Add object (if set semantics) | — – 405 error | Invoke (if idempotent) |
| DELETE | Delete object | Clear value | Remove object | — – 405 error | — – 405 error |
| POST | — – 405 error | — – 405 error | Add object (if list semantics) | — – 405 error | Invoke (any) |
Taken together the resources and representations allow the complete functionality of a domain object model to be accessed over HTTP. The following diagram, taken from the specification, illustrates the relationship between the most commonly used resources and representations:
