How should the REST API look for updating a resource with server's datetime?

user_2680660 0
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I am creating a database server with resources with 'lastAccessed' datetime field. This field must be updated with the server's time with every read, but not query. How should I design the REST API if I want to allow clients to update this field at will?

I thought of several options, but none of them seem correct...

  1. GET /api/resources/{resource_id}

    Even though this is a GET, it updates the 'lastAccessed' field.

  2. PATCH /api/resources/{resource_id} with { lastAccessed: "garbage_value" }

    Value from the client is ignored and 'lastAccessed' is updated with the server time.

  3. POST /api/resources/{resource_id}/update-last-accessed-time without payload

    Special endpoint for this purpose agreed on contract

  4. PUT /api/resources/{resource_id}/lastAccessed without payload

    Intention of this API is to convey that this call will replace the 'lastAccessed' field with the server's default value, in this case, server's time.

server rest datetime database
1 Answers

This is a tricky one. Doing a GET request should typically not influence any meaningful responses.

So I would opt for one of your other three options.

Your POST and PUT examples are fine, although I don't see a reason for sending "garbage_value" to this endpoint.

You could set a flag like setLastAccessed: true. The contents of your PATCH body do not need a 1:1 correlation with anything else.

I would likely go with a POST on /api/resources/{resource_id} or /api/resources/{resource_id}/update-last-accessed-time with a specific instruction to update the lastAccessedTime.

user_809110
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