REST API data source is here! Update of the century!

Data Sources
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What a wonderful news - REST API data source is here! I’ve been waiting for this for years now (2+ years, to be exact).

JJ does a very nice video overview of the feature. Thank you!
With that said, more videos would be nice to dive into the POST/PATCH/DELETE methods to do CRUD on data.

With respect to the transformers, nice job Softr!

Did anyone else pick up on the idea that perhaps one day transformers, or a similar concept, could also be used on list item fields of regular dynamic blocks, such that we could finally be able to re-format data incoming from data sources natively in Softr, instead of at the source (example: Airtable formulas).

Thanks team Softr!

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Thanks so much @bbelo !! I’m so excited about this as well!

For updating the data, you should use our call API action. I agree, more videos on how to do this complexity in more detail could be helpful. I’ll see what I can do there.

Re. the transformers - yes, this is a very exciting aspect! It can help out in many ways. Though for basic data formatting in native integrations, we’re trying to find ways to make that better while also keeping it very simple to do.

Otherwise, I’m so glad you’re as excited about it as I am! Cheers!

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Thanks @Jjenglert

But Call API and Edit Record are two distinct action item types. How can we bind Edit Record’s field items to the API call?

Boris

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For updating records, you’ll want to use our Call API action with a PUT / PATCH format, then use pass along the updated variables with the ID + other fields you want to change.

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Thanks @Jjenglert

The API Call action type does not have a form associated with it, like the Edit Record action type does. There is no CRUD UI for it, like for the Edit Record action type. How would one collect the to-be-updated field values from the user, if there is no form for it?

It seems to me that Softr needs to add the API Call to the Edit Record and Delete Record item buttons and to the Add Record topbar buttons for the API CRUD to work.

… Unless… I notice that the new API data source screens have the options not just for GET, but also for POST (but, interestingly, not for PATCH and DELETE). So, maybe Softr envisioned some other way of CRUD that I am not intuiting.

Boris

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Hi Boris,

Talking with my team about this, it does appear like we’re still working on some more functionality here that would complete this edit experience when using the REST API. One of our engineers is currently working on it, and we expect it to be out soon. I’ll keep this thread updated once it is :smiley:

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