[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #42094: REST API: extend _fields parameter to selectively include nested fields in response JSON

[WordPress Trac]

#42094: REST API: extend _fields parameter to selectively include nested fields in
response JSON
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------
 Reporter:  kadamwhite                           |       Owner:  kadamwhite
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:  5.3
Component:  REST API                             |     Version:  4.9
 Severity:  normal                               |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-patch dev-feedback needs-        |     Focuses:
  testing has-unit-tests                         |
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------
Changes (by kadamwhite):

 * keywords:  needs-refresh => has-patch dev-feedback needs-testing has-
     unit-tests


Comment:

 I have uploaded a patch with a proposed solution to this problem. It works
 in three parts:

 - The initial generation of the accepted fields list is modified to be
 `nested.field`-aware,
 - The posts controller is modified to use a smarter helper method to
 determine if a specific property should be included, rather than a simple
 `in_array` call, and
 - The filter which strips invalid properties out of the response is
 modified to do a recursive check against a tree generated from the
 `_fields` input string. (Thank you @rmccue for helping with the code
 here.)

 I would love to get some critique on this patch.

 My biggest dissatisfaction with it is the code organization: the recursive
 key merge method feels like the simplest solution to this problem, but
 making that a `rest_`-prefixed global function feels inappropriate.
 However, introducing an arbitrary `wp_` helper method also feels like an
 overstep. I'd welcome input, @danielbachhuber @desrosj @timothybjacobs

 One additional unit test I'd like to add would be a check to ensure the
 content filters are not triggered if `content.rendered` is not requested
 in the fields list.

 Once we agree on the mechanics of the patch, I can update the remaining
 controllers to use this new method when determining what fields to
 compute.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/42094#comment:11>
WordPress Trac <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/>
WordPress publishing platform