@@ -1,12 +1,35 @@
1−# Serving an API
1+---
2+title: Serving an API
3+toc: true
4+---
25
36Enough chit-chat about type-level combinators and representing an API as a
47type. Can we have a webservice already?
58
6−## A first example
9+If you want to follow along with the code and run the examples while you read this guide:
710
8−Equipped with some basic knowledge about the way we represent APIs, let's now
9−write our first webservice.
11+``` bash
12+cabal get servant-examples
13+cd servant-examples-<VERSION>
14+cabal sandbox init
15+cabal install --dependencies-only
16+cabal configure && cabal build
17+```
18+
19+This will produce a `tutorial` executable in the
20+`dist/build/tutorial` directory that just runs the example corresponding
21+to the number specified as a command line argument:
22+
23+``` bash
24+$ dist/build/tutorial/tutorial
25+Usage: tutorial N
26+ where N is the number of the example you want to run.
27+```
28+
29+A first example
30+===============
31+
32+Equipped with some basic knowledge about the way we represent API, let's now write our first webservice.
1033
1134The source for this tutorial section is a literate haskell file, so first we
1235need to have some language extensions and imports:
@@ -18,7 +41,6 @@ need to have some language extensions and imports:
1841{-# LANGUAGE GeneralizedNewtypeDeriving #-}
1942{-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses #-}
2043{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
21−{-# LANGUAGE RankNTypes #-}
2244{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
2345{-# LANGUAGE TypeOperators #-}
2446
@@ -27,14 +49,15 @@ module Server where
2749import Prelude ()
2850import Prelude.Compat
2951
30−import Control.Monad.Except
52+import Control.Monad.IO.Class
3153import Control.Monad.Reader
54+import Control.Monad.Trans.Except
3255import Data.Aeson
3356import Data.Aeson.Types
3457import Data.Attoparsec.ByteString
3558import Data.ByteString (ByteString)
59+import Data.Int
3660import Data.List
37−import Data.Maybe
3861import Data.String.Conversions
3962import Data.Time.Calendar
4063import GHC.Generics
@@ -46,18 +69,15 @@ import Servant
4669import System.Directory
4770import Text.Blaze
4871import Text.Blaze.Html.Renderer.Utf8
49−import Servant.Types.SourceT (source)
5072import qualified Data.Aeson.Parser
5173import qualified Text.Blaze.Html
5274```
5375
54−**Important**: the `Servant` module comes from the **servant-server** package,
55−the one that lets us run webservers that implement a particular API type. It
56−reexports all the types from the **servant** package that let you declare API
57−types as well as everything you need to turn your request handlers into a
58−fully-fledged webserver. This means that in your applications, you can just add
59−**servant-server** as a dependency, import `Servant` and not worry about anything
60−else.
76+``` haskell ignore
77+{-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies #-}
78+```
79+
80+**Important**: the `Servant` module comes from the *servant-server* package, the one that lets us run webservers that implement a particular API type. It reexports all the types from the *servant* package that let you declare API types as well as everything you need to turn your request handlers into a fully-fledged webserver. This means that in your applications, you can just add *servant-server* as a dependency, import `Servant` and not worry about anything else.
6181
6282We will write a server that will serve the following API.
6383
@@ -96,6 +116,12 @@ users1 =
96116 ]
97117```
98118
119+Let's also write our API type.
120+
121+``` haskell ignore
122+type UserAPI1 = "users" :> Get '[JSON] [User]
123+```
124+
99125We can now take care of writing the actual webservice that will handle requests
100126to such an API. This one will be very simple, being reduced to just a single
101127endpoint. The type of the web application is determined by the API type,
@@ -107,11 +133,11 @@ corresponding API type.
107133The first thing to know about the `Server` type family is that behind the
108134scenes it will drive the routing, letting you focus only on the business
109135logic. The second thing to know is that for each endpoint, your handlers will
110−by default run in the `Handler` monad. This is overridable very
136+by default run in the `ExceptT ServantErr IO` monad. This is overridable very
111137easily, as explained near the end of this guide. Third thing, the type of the
112138value returned in that monad must be the same as the second argument of the
113139HTTP method combinator used for the corresponding endpoint. In our case, it
114−means we must provide a handler of type `Handler [User]`. Well,
140+means we must provide a handler of type `ExceptT ServantErr IO [User]`. Well,
115141we have a monad, let's just `return` our list:
116142
117143``` haskell
@@ -119,9 +145,7 @@ server1 :: Server UserAPI1
119145server1 = return users1
120146```
121147
122−That's it. Now we can turn `server` into an actual webserver using
123−[wai](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/wai) and
124−[warp](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/warp):
148+That's it. Now we can turn `server` into an actual webserver using [wai](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/wai) and [warp](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/warp):
125149
126150``` haskell
127151userAPI :: Proxy UserAPI1
@@ -131,7 +155,7 @@ userAPI = Proxy
131155-- which you can think of as an "abstract" web application,
132156-- not yet a webserver.
133157app1 :: Application
134−app1 = serve userAPI server1
158+app1 = serve userAPI EmptyConfig server1
135159```
136160
137161The `userAPI` bit is, alas, boilerplate (we need it to guide type inference).
@@ -146,8 +170,9 @@ main = run 8081 app1
146170
147171You can put this all into a file or just grab [servant's
148172repo](http://github.com/haskell-servant/servant) and look at the
149−*doc/tutorial* directory. This code (the source of this web page) is in
150−*doc/tutorial/Server.lhs*.
173+*servant-examples* directory. The code we have just explored is in
174+*tutorial/T1.hs*, runnable with
175+`dist/build/tutorial/tutorial 1`.
151176
152177If you run it, you can go to `http://localhost:8081/users` in your browser or
153178query it with curl and you see:
@@ -157,10 +182,10 @@ $ curl http://localhost:8081/users
157182[{"email":"isaac@newton.co.uk","registration_date":"1683-03-01","age":372,"name":"Isaac Newton"},{"email":"ae@mc2.org","registration_date":"1905-12-01","age":136,"name":"Albert Einstein"}]
158183```
159184
160−## More endpoints
185+More endpoints
186+==============
161187
162−What if we want more than one endpoint? Let's add `/albert` and `/isaac` to
163−view the corresponding users encoded in JSON.
188+What if we want more than one endpoint? Let's add `/albert` and `/isaac` to view the corresponding users encoded in JSON.
164189
165190``` haskell
166191type UserAPI2 = "users" :> Get '[JSON] [User]
@@ -183,7 +208,7 @@ users2 = [isaac, albert]
183208
184209Now, just like we separate the various endpoints in `UserAPI` with `:<|>`, we
185210are going to separate the handlers with `:<|>` too! They must be provided in
186−the same order as in the API type.
211+the same order as the one they appear in in the API type.
187212
188213``` haskell
189214server2 :: Server UserAPI2
@@ -192,21 +217,22 @@ server2 = return users2
192217 :<|> return isaac
193218```
194219
195−And that's it! You can run this example in the same way that we showed for
196−`server1` and check out the data available at `/users`, `/albert` and `/isaac`.
220+And that's it! You can run this example with
221+`dist/build/tutorial/tutorial 2` and check out the data available
222+at `/users`, `/albert` and `/isaac`.
197223
198−## From combinators to handler arguments
224+From combinators to handler arguments
225+=====================================
199226
200227Fine, we can write trivial webservices easily, but none of the two above use
201228any "fancy" combinator from servant. Let's address this and use `QueryParam`,
202−`Capture` and `ReqBody` right away. You'll see how each occurrence of these
229+`Capture` and `ReqBody` right away. You'll see how each occurence of these
203230combinators in an endpoint makes the corresponding handler receive an
204231argument of the appropriate type automatically. You don't have to worry about
205232manually looking up URL captures or query string parameters, or
206233decoding/encoding data from/to JSON. Never.
207234
208−We are going to use the following data types and functions to implement a
209−server for `API`.
235+We are going to use the following data types and functions to implement a server for `API`.
210236
211237``` haskell
212238type API = "position" :> Capture "x" Int :> Capture "y" Int :> Get '[JSON] Position
@@ -214,8 +240,8 @@ type API = "position" :> Capture "x" Int :> Capture "y" Int :> Get '[JSON] Posit
214240 :<|> "marketing" :> ReqBody '[JSON] ClientInfo :> Post '[JSON] Email
215241
216242data Position = Position
217− { xCoord :: Int
218− , yCoord :: Int
243+ { x :: Int
244+ , y :: Int
219245 } deriving Generic
220246
221247instance ToJSON Position
@@ -265,15 +291,15 @@ server3 = position
265291 :<|> hello
266292 :<|> marketing
267293
268− where position :: Int -> Int -> Handler Position
294+ where position :: Int -> Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO Position
269295 position x y = return (Position x y)
270296
271− hello :: Maybe String -> Handler HelloMessage
297+ hello :: Maybe String -> ExceptT ServantErr IO HelloMessage
272298 hello mname = return . HelloMessage $ case mname of
273299 Nothing -> "Hello, anonymous coward"
274300 Just n -> "Hello, " ++ n
275301
276− marketing :: ClientInfo -> Handler Email
302+ marketing :: ClientInfo -> ExceptT ServantErr IO Email
277303 marketing clientinfo = return (emailForClient clientinfo)
278304```
279305
@@ -288,86 +314,99 @@ parameter might not always be there);
288314
289315 - a `ReqBody contentTypeList a` becomes an argument of type `a`;
290316
291−And that's it. Here's the example in action:
317+And that's it. You can see this example in action by running `dist/build/tutorial/tutorial 3`.
292318
293319``` bash
294320$ curl http://localhost:8081/position/1/2
295−{"xCoord":1,"yCoord":2}
321+{"x":1,"y":2}
296322$ curl http://localhost:8081/hello
297323{"msg":"Hello, anonymous coward"}
298324$ curl http://localhost:8081/hello?name=Alp
299325{"msg":"Hello, Alp"}
300−$ curl -X POST -d '{"clientName":"Alp Mestanogullari", "clientEmail" : "alp@foo.com", "clientAge": 25, "clientInterestedIn": ["haskell", "mathematics"]}' -H 'Accept: application/json' -H 'Content-type: application/json' http://localhost:8081/marketing
326+$ curl -X POST -d '{"name":"Alp Mestanogullari", "email" : "alp@foo.com", "age": 25, "interested_in": ["haskell", "mathematics"]}' -H 'Accept: application/json' -H 'Content-type: application/json' http://localhost:8081/marketing
301327{"subject":"Hey Alp Mestanogullari, we miss you!","body":"Hi Alp Mestanogullari,\n\nSince you've recently turned 25, have you checked out our latest haskell, mathematics products? Give us a visit!","to":"alp@foo.com","from":"great@company.com"}
302328```
303329
304−For reference, here's a list of some combinators from **servant**:
330+For reference, here's a list of some combinators from *servant* and for those
331+that get turned into arguments to the handlers, the type of the argument.
305332
306− > - `Delete`, `Get`, `Patch`, `Post`, `Put`: these do not become arguments. They provide the return type of handlers, which usually is `Handler <something>`.
333+ > - `Delete`, `Get`, `Patch`, `Post`, `Put`: these do not become arguments. They provide the return type of handlers, which usually is `ExceptT ServantErr IO <something>`.
307334 > - `Capture "something" a` becomes an argument of type `a`.
308− > - `QueryParam "something" a`, `Header "something" a` all become arguments of type `Maybe a`, because there might be no value at all specified by the client for these.
309− > - `QueryFlag "something"` gets turned into an argument of type `Bool`.
310− > - `QueryParams "something" a` gets turned into an argument of type `[a]`.
335+ > - `QueryParam "something" a`, `MatrixParam "something" a`, `Header "something" a` all become arguments of type `Maybe a`, because there might be no value at all specified by the client for these.
336+ > - `QueryFlag "something"` and `MatrixFlag "something"` get turned into arguments of type `Bool`.
337+ > - `QueryParams "something" a` and `MatrixParams "something" a` get turned into arguments of type `[a]`.
311338 > - `ReqBody contentTypes a` gets turned into an argument of type `a`.
312339
313−## The `FromHttpApiData`/`ToHttpApiData` classes
340+The `FromText`/`ToText` classes
341+===============================
314342
315−Wait... How does **servant** know how to decode the `Int`s from the URL? Or how
316−to decode a `ClientInfo` value from the request body? The following three sections will
317−help us answer these questions.
343+Wait... How does *servant* know how to decode the `Int`s from the URL? Or how
344+to decode a `ClientInfo` value from the request body? This is what this and the
345+following two sections address.
318346
319347`Capture`s and `QueryParam`s are represented by some textual value in URLs.
320348`Header`s are similarly represented by a pair of a header name and a
321−corresponding (textual) value in the request's "metadata". How types are
322−decoded from headers, captures, and query params is expressed in a class
323−`FromHttpApiData` (from the package
324−[**http-api-data**](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/http-api-data)):
349+corresponding (textual) value in the request's "metadata". This is why we
350+decided to provide a pair of typeclasses, `FromText` and `ToText` which just
351+let you say that you can respectively *extract* or *encode* values of some type
352+*from*/*to* text. Here are the definitions:
325353
326354``` haskell ignore
327−class FromHttpApiData a where
328− {-# MINIMAL parseUrlPiece | parseQueryParam #-}
329− -- | Parse URL path piece.
330− parseUrlPiece :: Text -> Either Text a
331− parseUrlPiece = parseQueryParam
355+class FromText a where
356+ fromText :: Text -> Maybe a
357+
358+class ToText a where
359+ toText :: a -> Text
360+```
332361
333− -- | Parse HTTP header value.
334− parseHeader :: ByteString -> Either Text a
335− parseHeader = parseUrlPiece . decodeUtf8
362+And as long as the type that a `Capture`/`QueryParam`/`Header`/etc will be
363+decoded to provides a `FromText` instance, it will Just Work. *servant*
364+provides a decent number of instances, but here are some examples of defining
365+your own.
336366
337− -- | Parse query param value.
338− parseQueryParam :: Text -> Either Text a
339− parseQueryParam = parseUrlPiece
367+``` haskell
368+-- A typical enumeration
369+data Direction
370+ = Up
371+ | Down
372+ | Left
373+ | Right
374+
375+newtype UserId = UserId Int64
340376```
341377
342−As you can see, as long as you provide either `parseUrlPiece` (for `Capture`s)
343−or `parseQueryParam` (for `QueryParam`s), the other methods will be defined in
344−terms of this.
378+or writing the instances by hand:
345379
346−**http-api-data** provides a decent number of instances, helpers for defining new
347−ones, and wonderful documentation.
380+``` haskell ignore
381+instance FromText UserId where
382+ fromText = fmap UserId fromText
383+
384+instance ToText UserId where
385+ toText (UserId i) = toText i
386+```
348387
349388There's not much else to say about these classes. You will need instances for
350−them when using `Capture`, `QueryParam`, `QueryParams`, and `Header` with your
351−types. You will need `FromHttpApiData` instances for server-side request
352−handlers and `ToHttpApiData` instances only when using
353−**servant-client**, as described in the [section about deriving haskell
354−functions to query an API](Client.html).
389+them when using `Capture`, `QueryParam`, `QueryParams`, `MatrixParam`,
390+`MatrixParams` and `Header` with your types. You will need `FromText` instances
391+for server-side request handlers and `ToText` instances only when using
392+*servant-client*, as described in the [section about deriving haskell
393+functions to query an API](/tutorial/client.html).
355394
356−## Using content-types with your data types
395+Using content-types with your data types
396+========================================
357397
358398The same principle was operating when decoding request bodies from JSON, and
359399responses *into* JSON. (JSON is just the running example - you can do this with
360400any content-type.)
361401
362−This section introduces a couple of typeclasses provided by **servant** that make
402+This section introduces a couple of typeclasses provided by *servant* that make
363403all of this work.
364404
365−### The truth behind `JSON`
366−
405+The truth behind `JSON`
406+-----------------------
367407
368−What exactly is `JSON` (the type as used in `Get '[JSON] User`)? Like the 3
369−other content-types provided out of the box by **servant**, it's a really dumb
370−data type.
408+What exactly is `JSON`? Like the 3 other content types provided out of the box
409+by *servant*, it's a really dumb data type.
371410
372411``` haskell ignore
373412data JSON
@@ -377,15 +416,14 @@ data OctetStream
377416```
378417
379418Obviously, this is not all there is to `JSON`, otherwise it would be quite
380−pointless. Like most of the data types in **servant**, `JSON` is mostly there as
419+pointless. Like most of the data types in *servant*, `JSON` is mostly there as
381420a special *symbol* that's associated with encoding (resp. decoding) to (resp.
382421from) the *JSON* format. The way this association is performed can be
383422decomposed into two steps.
384423
385424The first step is to provide a proper
386−`MediaType` (from
387−[**http-media**](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/http-media-0.6.2/docs/Network-HTTP-Media.html))
388−representation for `JSON`, or for your own content-types. If you look at the
425+[`MediaType`](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/http-media-0.6.2/docs/Network-HTTP-Media.html)
426+representation for `JSON`, or for your own content types. If you look at the
389427haddocks from this link, you can see that we just have to specify
390428`application/json` using the appropriate functions. In our case, we can just
391429use `(//) :: ByteString -> ByteString -> MediaType`. The precise way to specify
@@ -401,14 +439,14 @@ instance Accept JSON where
401439```
402440
403441The second step is centered around the `MimeRender` and `MimeUnrender` classes.
404−These classes just let you specify a way to encode and decode
405−values into or from your content-type's representation.
442+These classes just let you specify a way to respectively encode and decode
443+values respectively into or from your content-type's representation.
406444
407445``` haskell ignore
408446class Accept ctype => MimeRender ctype a where
409− mimeRender :: Proxy ctype -> a -> ByteString
447+ mimeRender :: Proxy ctype -> a -> ByteString
410448 -- alternatively readable as:
411− mimeRender :: Proxy ctype -> (a -> ByteString)
449+ mimeRender :: Proxy ctype -> (a -> ByteString)
412450```
413451
414452Given a content-type and some user type, `MimeRender` provides a function that
@@ -429,12 +467,14 @@ And now the `MimeUnrender` class, which lets us extract values from lazy
429467``` haskell ignore
430468class Accept ctype => MimeUnrender ctype a where
431469 mimeUnrender :: Proxy ctype -> ByteString -> Either String a
470+ -- alternatively:
471+ mimeUnrender :: Proxy ctype -> (ByteString -> Either String a)
432472```
433473
434474We don't have much work to do there either, `Data.Aeson.eitherDecode` is
435475precisely what we need. However, it only allows arrays and objects as toplevel
436476JSON values and this has proven to get in our way more than help us so we wrote
437−our own little function around **aeson** and **attoparsec** that allows any type of
477+our own little function around *aeson* and *attoparsec* that allows any type of
438478JSON value at the toplevel of a "JSON document". Here's the definition in case
439479you are curious.
440480
@@ -452,20 +492,21 @@ instance FromJSON a => MimeUnrender JSON a where
452492 mimeUnrender _ = eitherDecodeLenient
453493```
454494
455−And this is all the code that lets you use `JSON` with `ReqBody`, `Get`,
495+And this is all the code that lets you use `JSON` for with `ReqBody`, `Get`,
456496`Post` and friends. We can check our understanding by implementing support
457−for an `HTML` content-type, so that users of your webservice can access an
497+for an `HTML` content type, so that users of your webservice can access an
458498HTML representation of the data they want, ready to be included in any HTML
459−document, e.g. using [jQuery's `load` function](https://api.jquery.com/load/),
460−simply by adding `Accept: text/html` to their request headers.
499+document, e.g. using [jQuery's `load` function](https://api.jquery.com/load/), simply by adding `Accept:
500+text/html` to their request headers.
461501
462−### Case-studies: **servant-blaze** and **servant-lucid**
502+Case-studies: *servant-blaze* and *servant-lucid*
503+-------------------------------------------------
463504
464505These days, most of the haskellers who write their HTML UIs directly from
465−Haskell use either [**blaze-html**](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/blaze-html)
466−or [**lucid**](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/lucid). The best option for
467−**servant** is obviously to support both (and hopefully other templating
468−solutions!). We're first going to look at **lucid**:
506+Haskell use either [blaze-html](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/blaze-html)
507+or [lucid](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/lucid). The best option for
508+*servant* is obviously to support both (and hopefully other templating
509+solutions!).
469510
470511``` haskell
471512data HTMLLucid
@@ -473,20 +514,24 @@ data HTMLLucid
473514
474515Once again, the data type is just there as a symbol for the encoding/decoding
475516functions, except that this time we will only worry about encoding since
476−**lucid** doesn't provide a way to extract data from HTML.
517+*blaze-html* and *lucid* don't provide a way to extract data from HTML.
518+
519+Both packages also have the same `Accept` instance for their `HTMLLucid` type.
477520
478521``` haskell
479522instance Accept HTMLLucid where
480523 contentType _ = "text" // "html" /: ("charset", "utf-8")
481524```
482525
483−Note that this instance uses the `(/:)` operator from **http-media** which lets
526+Note that this instance uses the `(/:)` operator from *http-media* which lets
484527us specify additional information about a content-type, like the charset here.
485528
486−The rendering instances call similar functions that take
529+The rendering instances for both packages both call similar functions that take
487530types with an appropriate instance to an "abstract" HTML representation and
488531then write that to a `ByteString`.
489532
533+For *lucid*:
534+
490535``` haskell
491536instance ToHtml a => MimeRender HTMLLucid a where
492537 mimeRender _ = renderBS . toHtml
@@ -497,7 +542,7 @@ instance MimeRender HTMLLucid (Html a) where
497542 mimeRender _ = renderBS
498543```
499544
500−For **blaze-html** everything works very similarly:
545+For *blaze-html*:
501546
502547``` haskell
503548-- For this tutorial to compile 'HTMLLucid' and 'HTMLBlaze' have to be
@@ -517,13 +562,15 @@ instance MimeRender HTMLBlaze Text.Blaze.Html.Html where
517562 mimeRender _ = renderHtml
518563```
519564
520−Both [**servant-blaze**](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/servant-blaze) and
521−[**servant-lucid**](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/servant-lucid) let you use
522−`HTMLLucid` and `HTMLBlaze` in any content-type list as long as you provide an instance of the
523−appropriate class (`ToMarkup` for **blaze-html**, `ToHtml` for **lucid**).
565+Both [servant-blaze](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/servant-blaze) and
566+[servant-lucid](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/servant-lucid) let you use
567+`HTMLLucid` in any content type list as long as you provide an instance of the
568+appropriate class (`ToMarkup` for *blaze-html*, `ToHtml` for *lucid*).
569+
570+We can now write webservice that uses *servant-lucid* to show the `HTMLLucid`
571+content type in action. First off, imports and pragmas as usual.
524572
525−We can now write a webservice that uses **servant-lucid** to show the `HTMLLucid`
526−content-type in action. We will be serving the following API:
573+We will be serving the following API:
527574
528575``` haskell
529576type PersonAPI = "persons" :> Get '[JSON, HTMLLucid] [Person]
@@ -540,7 +587,7 @@ data Person = Person
540587instance ToJSON Person
541588```
542589
543−Now, let's teach **lucid** how to render a `Person` as a row in a table, and then
590+Now, let's teach *lucid* how to render a `Person` as a row in a table, and then
544591a list of `Person`s as a table with a row per person.
545592
546593``` haskell
@@ -571,8 +618,8 @@ instance ToHtml [Person] where
571618We create some `Person` values and serve them as a list:
572619
573620``` haskell
574−people :: [Person]
575−people =
621+persons :: [Person]
622+persons =
576623 [ Person "Isaac" "Newton"
577624 , Person "Albert" "Einstein"
578625 ]
@@ -581,69 +628,75 @@ personAPI :: Proxy PersonAPI
581628personAPI = Proxy
582629
583630server4 :: Server PersonAPI
584−server4 = return people
631+server4 = return persons
585632
586633app2 :: Application
587−app2 = serve personAPI server4
634+app2 = serve personAPI EmptyConfig server4
588635```
589636
590−And we're good to go:
637+And we're good to go. You can run this example with `dist/build/tutorial/tutorial 4`.
591638
592639``` bash
593−$ curl http://localhost:8081/persons
594−[{"lastName":"Newton","firstName":"Isaac"},{"lastName":"Einstein","firstName":"Albert"}]
595−$ curl -H 'Accept: text/html' http://localhost:8081/persons
596−<table><tr><td>first name</td><td>last name</td></tr><tr><td>Isaac</td><td>Newton</td></tr><tr><td>Albert</td><td>Einstein</td></tr></table>
597−# or just point your browser to http://localhost:8081/persons
640+ $ curl http://localhost:8081/persons
641+ [{"lastName":"Newton","firstName":"Isaac"},{"lastName":"Einstein","firstName":"Albert"}]
642+ $ curl -H 'Accept: text/html' http://localhost:8081/persons
643+ <table><tr><td>first name</td><td>last name</td></tr><tr><td>Isaac</td><td>Newton</td></tr><tr><td>Albert</td><td>Einstein</td></tr></table>
644+ # or just point your browser to http://localhost:8081/persons
598645```
599646
600−## The `Handler` monad
647+The `ExceptT ServantErr IO` monad
648+=================================
601649
602−At the heart of the handlers is the monad they run in, namely a newtype `Handler` around `ExceptT ServerError IO`
603−([haddock documentation for `ExceptT`](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/mtl-2.2.1/docs/Control-Monad-Except.html#t:ExceptT)).
604−One might wonder: why this monad? The answer is that it is the
650+At the heart of the handlers is the monad they run in, namely `ExceptT
651+ServantErr IO`. One might wonder: why this monad? The answer is that it is the
605652simplest monad with the following properties:
606653
607−- it lets us both return a successful result (using `return`)
608−or "fail" with a descriptive error (using `throwError`);
654+- it lets us both return a successful result (with the `Right` branch of
655+`Either`) or "fail" with a descriptive error (with the `Left` branch of
656+`Either`);
609657- it lets us perform IO, which is absolutely vital since most webservices exist
610−as interfaces to databases that we interact with in `IO`.
658+as interfaces to databases that we interact with in `IO`;
611659
612660Let's recall some definitions.
613661
614662``` haskell ignore
615−-- from the 'mtl' package at
616−newtype ExceptT e m a = ExceptT (m (Either e a))
663+-- from the Prelude
664+data Either e a = Left e | Right a
665+
666+-- from the 'either' package at
667+-- http://hackage.haskell.org/package/either-4.3.3.2/docs/Control-Monad-Trans-Either.html
668+newtype ExceptT e m a
669+ = ExceptT { runEitherT :: m (Either e a) }
617670```
618671
619−In short, this means that a handler of type `Handler a` is simply
620−equivalent to a computation of type `IO (Either ServerError a)`, that is, an IO
672+In short, this means that a handler of type `ExceptT ServantErr IO a` is simply
673+equivalent to a computation of type `IO (Either ServantErr a)`, that is, an IO
621674action that either returns an error or a result.
622675
623−The module [`Control.Monad.Except`](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/mtl/docs/Control-Monad-Except.html#t:ExceptT)
624−from which `ExceptT` comes is worth looking at.
625−Perhaps most importantly, `ExceptT` and `Handler` are instances of `MonadError`, so
626−`throwError` can be used to return an error from your handler (whereas `return`
627− is enough to return a success).
676+The aforementioned `either` package is worth taking a look at. Perhaps most
677+importantly:
678+
679+``` haskell ignore
680+left :: Monad m => e -> ExceptT e m a
681+```
682+Allows you to return an error from your handler (whereas `return` is enough to
683+return a success).
628684
629685Most of what you'll be doing in your handlers is running some IO and,
630686depending on the result, you might sometimes want to throw an error of some
631687kind and abort early. The next two sections cover how to do just that.
632688
633−### Performing IO
689+Performing IO
690+-------------
634691
635−Other important instances from the list above are `MonadIO m => MonadIO
636−(ExceptT e m)`, and therefore also `MonadIO Handler` as there is a `MonadIO IO` instance.
637−[`MonadIO`](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/base/docs/Control-Monad-IO-Class.html#t:MonadIO)
638−is a class from the **transformers** package defined as:
692+Another important instance from the list above is `MonadIO m => MonadIO (ExceptT e m)`. [`MonadIO`](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/transformers-0.4.3.0/docs/Control-Monad-IO-Class.html) is a class from the *transformers* package defined as:
639693
640694``` haskell ignore
641695class Monad m => MonadIO m where
642696 liftIO :: IO a -> m a
643697```
644698
645−So if you want to run any kind of
646−IO computation in your handlers, just use `liftIO`:
699+Obviously, the `IO` monad provides a `MonadIO` instance. Hence for any type `e`, `ExceptT e IO` has a `MonadIO` instance. So if you want to run any kind of IO computation in your handlers, just use `liftIO`:
647700
648701``` haskell
649702type IOAPI1 = "myfile.txt" :> Get '[JSON] FileContent
@@ -660,16 +713,17 @@ server5 = do
660713 return (FileContent filecontent)
661714```
662715
663−### Failing, through `ServerError`
716+Failing, through `ServantErr`
717+-----------------------------
664718
665719If you want to explicitly fail at providing the result promised by an endpoint
666720using the appropriate HTTP status code (not found, unauthorized, etc) and some
667−error message, all you have to do is use the `throwError` function mentioned above
668−and provide it with the appropriate value of type `ServerError`, which is
721+error message, all you have to do is use the `left` function mentioned above
722+and provide it with the appropriate value of type `ServantErr`, which is
669723defined as:
670724
671725``` haskell ignore
672−data ServerError = ServerError
726+data ServantErr = ServantErr
673727 { errHTTPCode :: Int
674728 , errReasonPhrase :: String
675729 , errBody :: ByteString -- lazy bytestring
@@ -682,10 +736,10 @@ module. If you want to use these values but add a body or some headers, just
682736use record update syntax:
683737
684738``` haskell
685−failingHandler :: Handler ()
686−failingHandler = throwError myerr
739+failingHandler :: ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
740+failingHandler = throwE myerr
687741
688− where myerr :: ServerError
742+ where myerr :: ServantErr
689743 myerr = err503 { errBody = "Sorry dear user." }
690744```
691745
@@ -698,47 +752,48 @@ server6 = do
698752 exists <- liftIO (doesFileExist "myfile.txt")
699753 if exists
700754 then liftIO (readFile "myfile.txt") >>= return . FileContent
701− else throwError custom404Err
755+ else throwE custom404Err
702756
703757 where custom404Err = err404 { errBody = "myfile.txt just isn't there, please leave this server alone." }
704758```
705759
706−Here's how that server looks in action:
760+Let's run this server (`dist/build/tutorial/tutorial 5`) and
761+query it, first without the file and then with the file.
707762
708763``` bash
709−$ curl --verbose http://localhost:8081/myfile.txt
710−[snip]
711−* Connected to localhost (127.0.0.1) port 8081 (#0)
712−> GET /myfile.txt HTTP/1.1
713−> User-Agent: curl/7.30.0
714−> Host: localhost:8081
715−> Accept: */*
716−>
717−< HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
718−[snip]
719−myfile.txt just isn't there, please leave this server alone.
720−
721−$ echo Hello > myfile.txt
722−
723−$ curl --verbose http://localhost:8081/myfile.txt
724−[snip]
725−* Connected to localhost (127.0.0.1) port 8081 (#0)
726−> GET /myfile.txt HTTP/1.1
727−> User-Agent: curl/7.30.0
728−> Host: localhost:8081
729−> Accept: */*
730−>
731−< HTTP/1.1 200 OK
732−[snip]
733−< Content-Type: application/json
734−[snip]
735−{"content":"Hello\n"}
736−```
737−
738−## Response headers
739−
740−To add headers to your response, use
741−[addHeader](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/servant/docs/Servant-API-ResponseHeaders.html).
764+ $ curl --verbose http://localhost:8081/myfile.txt
765+ [snip]
766+ * Connected to localhost (127.0.0.1) port 8081 (#0)
767+ > GET /myfile.txt HTTP/1.1
768+ > User-Agent: curl/7.30.0
769+ > Host: localhost:8081
770+ > Accept: */*
771+ >
772+ < HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
773+ [snip]
774+ myfile.txt just isnt there, please leave this server alone.
775+
776+ $ echo Hello > myfile.txt
777+
778+ $ curl --verbose http://localhost:8081/myfile.txt
779+ [snip]
780+ * Connected to localhost (127.0.0.1) port 8081 (#0)
781+ > GET /myfile.txt HTTP/1.1
782+ > User-Agent: curl/7.30.0
783+ > Host: localhost:8081
784+ > Accept: */*
785+ >
786+ < HTTP/1.1 200 OK
787+ [snip]
788+ < Content-Type: application/json
789+ [snip]
790+ {"content":"Hello\n"}
791+```
792+
793+Response headers
794+================
795+
796+To add headers to your response, use [addHeader](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/servant-0.4.4/docs/Servant-API-ResponseHeaders.html).
742797Note that this changes the type of your API, as we can see in the following example:
743798
744799``` haskell
@@ -748,89 +803,158 @@ myHandler :: Server MyHandler
748803myHandler = return $ addHeader 1797 albert
749804```
750805
751−Note that the type of `addHeader header x` is different than the type of `x`!
752−And if you add more headers, more headers will appear in the header list:
753−
754−``` haskell
755−type MyHeadfulHandler = Get '[JSON] (Headers '[Header "X-A-Bool" Bool, Header "X-An-Int" Int] User)
756−
757−myHeadfulHandler :: Server MyHeadfulHandler
758−myHeadfulHandler = return $ addHeader True $ addHeader 1797 albert
759−```
760−
761−But what if your handler only *sometimes* adds a header? If you declare that
762−your handler adds headers, and you don't add one, the return type of your
763−handler will be different than expected. To solve this, you have to explicitly
764−*not* add a header by using `noHeader`:
765806
766−``` haskell
767−type MyMaybeHeaderHandler
768− = Capture "withHeader" Bool :> Get '[JSON] (Headers '[Header "X-An-Int" Int] User)
807+Serving static files
808+====================
769809
770−myMaybeHeaderHandler :: Server MyMaybeHeaderHandler
771−myMaybeHeaderHandler x = return $ if x then addHeader 1797 albert
772− else noHeader albert
773−```
774−
775−## Serving static files
776−
777−**servant-server** also provides a way to just serve the content of a directory
810+*servant-server* also provides a way to just serve the content of a directory
778811under some path in your web API. As mentioned earlier in this document, the
779812`Raw` combinator can be used in your APIs to mean "plug here any WAI
780−application". Well, **servant-server** provides a function to get a file and
813+application". Well, servant-server provides a function to get a file and
781814directory serving WAI application, namely:
782815
783816``` haskell ignore
784817-- exported by Servant and Servant.Server
785−serveDirectoryWebApp :: FilePath -> Server Raw
818+serveDirectory :: FilePath -> Server Raw
786819```
787820
788−`serveDirectoryWebApp`'s argument must be a path to a valid directory.
821+`serveDirectory`'s argument must be a path to a valid directory. You can see an
822+example below, runnable with `dist/build/tutorial/tutorial 6`
823+(you **must** run it from within the *servant-examples/* directory!), which is
824+a webserver that serves the various bits of code covered in this
825+getting-started.
789826
790−Here's an example API that will serve some static files:
827+The API type will be the following.
791828
792829``` haskell
793−type StaticAPI = "static" :> Raw
830+type CodeAPI = "code" :> Raw
794831```
795832
796833And the server:
797834
798835``` haskell
799−staticAPI :: Proxy StaticAPI
800−staticAPI = Proxy
836+codeAPI :: Proxy CodeAPI
837+codeAPI = Proxy
801838```
802839
803840``` haskell
804−server7 :: Server StaticAPI
805−server7 = serveDirectoryWebApp "static-files"
841+server7 :: Server CodeAPI
842+server7 = serveDirectory "tutorial"
806843
807844app3 :: Application
808−app3 = serve staticAPI server7
845+app3 = serve codeAPI EmptyConfig server7
809846```
810847
811−This server will match any request whose path starts with `/static` and will look
812−for a file at the path described by the rest of the request path, inside the
813− *static-files/* directory of the path you run the program from.
848+This server will match any request whose path starts with `/code` and will look for a file at the path described by the rest of the request path, inside the *tutorial/* directory of the path you run the program from.
814849
815−In other words: If a client requests `/static/foo.txt`, the server will look for a file at
816−`./static-files/foo.txt`. If that file exists it'll succeed and serve the file.
817−If it doesn't exist, the handler will fail with a `404` status code.
850+In other words:
818851
819−`serveDirectoryWebApp` uses some standard settings that fit the use case of
820−serving static files for most web apps. You can find out about the other
821−options in the documentation of the `Servant.Server.StaticFiles` module.
852+- If a client requests `/code/foo.txt`, the server will look for a file at `./tutorial/foo.txt` (and fail)
853+- If a client requests `/code/T1.hs`, the server will look for a file at `./tutorial/T1.hs` (and succeed)
854+- If a client requests `/code/foo/bar/baz/movie.mp4`, the server will look for a file at `./tutorial/foo/bar/baz/movie.mp4` (and fail)
822855
823−## Nested APIs
856+Here is our little server in action.
824857
825−Let's see how you can define APIs in a modular way, while avoiding repetition.
826−Consider this simple example:
858+``` haskell ignore
859+$ curl http://localhost:8081/code/T1.hs
860+{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds #-}
861+{-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies #-}
862+{-# LANGUAGE DeriveGeneric #-}
863+{-# LANGUAGE TypeOperators #-}
864+module T1 where
865+
866+import Data.Aeson
867+import Data.Time.Calendar
868+import GHC.Generics
869+import Network.Wai
870+import Servant
871+
872+data User = User
873+ { name :: String
874+ , age :: Int
875+ , email :: String
876+ , registration_date :: Day
877+ } deriving (Eq, Show, Generic)
878+
879+-- orphan ToJSON instance for Day. necessary to derive one for User
880+instance ToJSON Day where
881+ -- display a day in YYYY-mm-dd format
882+ toJSON d = toJSON (showGregorian d)
883+
884+instance ToJSON User
885+
886+type UserAPI = "users" :> Get '[JSON] [User]
887+
888+users :: [User]
889+users =
890+ [ User "Isaac Newton" 372 "isaac@newton.co.uk" (fromGregorian 1683 3 1)
891+ , User "Albert Einstein" 136 "ae@mc2.org" (fromGregorian 1905 12 1)
892+ ]
893+
894+userAPI :: Proxy UserAPI
895+userAPI = Proxy
896+
897+server :: Server UserAPI
898+server = return users
899+
900+app :: Application
901+app = serve userAPI server
902+$ curl http://localhost:8081/code/tutorial.hs
903+import Network.Wai
904+import Network.Wai.Handler.Warp
905+import System.Environment
906+
907+import qualified T1
908+import qualified T2
909+import qualified T3
910+import qualified T4
911+import qualified T5
912+import qualified T6
913+import qualified T7
914+import qualified T9
915+import qualified T10
916+
917+app :: String -> (Application -> IO ()) -> IO ()
918+app n f = case n of
919+ "1" -> f T1.app
920+ "2" -> f T2.app
921+ "3" -> f T3.app
922+ "4" -> f T4.app
923+ "5" -> f T5.app
924+ "6" -> f T6.app
925+ "7" -> f T7.app
926+ "8" -> f T3.app
927+ "9" -> T9.writeJSFiles >> f T9.app
928+ "10" -> f T10.app
929+ _ -> usage
930+
931+main :: IO ()
932+main = do
933+ args <- getArgs
934+ case args of
935+ [n] -> app n (run 8081)
936+ _ -> usage
937+
938+usage :: IO ()
939+usage = do
940+ putStrLn "Usage:\t tutorial N"
941+ putStrLn "\t\twhere N is the number of the example you want to run."
942+
943+$ curl http://localhost:8081/foo
944+not found
945+```
946+
947+Nested APIs
948+===========
949+
950+Let's see how you can define APIs in a modular way, while avoiding repetition. Consider this simple example:
827951
828952``` haskell
829953type UserAPI3 = -- view the user with given userid, in JSON
830954 Capture "userid" Int :> Get '[JSON] User
831955
832956 :<|> -- delete the user with given userid. empty response
833− Capture "userid" Int :> DeleteNoContent
957+ Capture "userid" Int :> Delete '[] ()
834958```
835959
836960We can instead factor out the `userid`:
@@ -838,34 +962,32 @@ We can instead factor out the `userid`:
838962``` haskell
839963type UserAPI4 = Capture "userid" Int :>
840964 ( Get '[JSON] User
841− :<|> DeleteNoContent
965+ :<|> Delete '[] ()
842966 )
843967```
844968
845−However, you have to be aware that this has an effect on the type of the
846−corresponding `Server`:
969+However, you have to be aware that this has an effect on the type of the corresponding `Server`:
847970
848971``` haskell ignore
849−Server UserAPI3 = (Int -> Handler User)
850− :<|> (Int -> Handler NoContent)
972+Server UserAPI3 = (Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO User)
973+ :<|> (Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ())
851974
852−Server UserAPI4 = Int -> ( Handler User
853− :<|> Handler NoContent
975+Server UserAPI4 = Int -> ( ExceptT ServantErr IO User
976+ :<|> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
854977 )
855978```
856979
857980In the first case, each handler receives the *userid* argument. In the latter,
858−the whole `Server` takes the *userid* and has handlers that are just
859−computations in `Handler`, with no arguments. In other words:
981+the whole `Server` takes the *userid* and has handlers that are just computations in `ExceptT`, with no arguments. In other words:
860982
861983``` haskell
862984server8 :: Server UserAPI3
863985server8 = getUser :<|> deleteUser
864986
865− where getUser :: Int -> Handler User
987+ where getUser :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO User
866988 getUser _userid = error "..."
867989
868− deleteUser :: Int -> Handler NoContent
990+ deleteUser :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
869991 deleteUser _userid = error "..."
870992
871993-- notice how getUser and deleteUser
@@ -874,17 +996,14 @@ server8 = getUser :<|> deleteUser
874996server9 :: Server UserAPI4
875997server9 userid = getUser userid :<|> deleteUser userid
876998
877− where getUser :: Int -> Handler User
999+ where getUser :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO User
8781000 getUser = error "..."
8791001
880− deleteUser :: Int -> Handler NoContent
1002+ deleteUser :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
8811003 deleteUser = error "..."
8821004```
8831005
884−Note that there's nothing special about `Capture` that lets you "factor it
885−out": this can be done with any combinator. Here are a few examples of APIs
886−with a combinator factored out for which we can write a perfectly valid
887−`Server`.
1006+Note that there's nothing special about `Capture` that lets you "factor it out": this can be done with any combinator. Here are a few examples of APIs with a combinator factored out for which we can write a perfectly valid `Server`.
8881007
8891008``` haskell
8901009-- we just factor out the "users" path fragment
@@ -896,63 +1015,62 @@ type API1 = "users" :>
8961015-- we factor out the Request Body
8971016type API2 = ReqBody '[JSON] User :>
8981017 ( Get '[JSON] User -- just display the same user back, don't register it
899− :<|> PostNoContent -- register the user. empty response
1018+ :<|> Post '[JSON] () -- register the user. empty response
9001019 )
9011020
9021021-- we factor out a Header
9031022type API3 = Header "Authorization" Token :>
9041023 ( Get '[JSON] SecretData -- get some secret data, if authorized
905− :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] SecretData :> PostNoContent -- add some secret data, if authorized
1024+ :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] SecretData :> Post '[] () -- add some secret data, if authorized
9061025 )
9071026
9081027newtype Token = Token ByteString
9091028newtype SecretData = SecretData ByteString
9101029```
9111030
912−This approach lets you define APIs modularly and assemble them all into one big
913−API type only at the end.
1031+This approach lets you define APIs modularly and assemble them all into one big API type only at the end.
9141032
9151033``` haskell
9161034type UsersAPI =
9171035 Get '[JSON] [User] -- list users
918− :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] User :> PostNoContent -- add a user
1036+ :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] User :> Post '[] () -- add a user
9191037 :<|> Capture "userid" Int :>
9201038 ( Get '[JSON] User -- view a user
921− :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] User :> PutNoContent -- update a user
922− :<|> DeleteNoContent -- delete a user
1039+ :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] User :> Put '[] () -- update a user
1040+ :<|> Delete '[] () -- delete a user
9231041 )
9241042
9251043usersServer :: Server UsersAPI
9261044usersServer = getUsers :<|> newUser :<|> userOperations
9271045
928− where getUsers :: Handler [User]
1046+ where getUsers :: ExceptT ServantErr IO [User]
9291047 getUsers = error "..."
9301048
931− newUser :: User -> Handler NoContent
1049+ newUser :: User -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
9321050 newUser = error "..."
9331051
9341052 userOperations userid =
9351053 viewUser userid :<|> updateUser userid :<|> deleteUser userid
9361054
9371055 where
938− viewUser :: Int -> Handler User
1056+ viewUser :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO User
9391057 viewUser = error "..."
9401058
941− updateUser :: Int -> User -> Handler NoContent
1059+ updateUser :: Int -> User -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
9421060 updateUser = error "..."
9431061
944− deleteUser :: Int -> Handler NoContent
1062+ deleteUser :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
9451063 deleteUser = error "..."
9461064```
9471065
9481066``` haskell
9491067type ProductsAPI =
9501068 Get '[JSON] [Product] -- list products
951− :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] Product :> PostNoContent -- add a product
1069+ :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] Product :> Post '[] () -- add a product
9521070 :<|> Capture "productid" Int :>
9531071 ( Get '[JSON] Product -- view a product
954− :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] Product :> PutNoContent -- update a product
955− :<|> DeleteNoContent -- delete a product
1072+ :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] Product :> Put '[] () -- update a product
1073+ :<|> Delete '[] () -- delete a product
9561074 )
9571075
9581076data Product = Product { productId :: Int }
@@ -960,23 +1078,23 @@ data Product = Product { productId :: Int }
9601078productsServer :: Server ProductsAPI
9611079productsServer = getProducts :<|> newProduct :<|> productOperations
9621080
963− where getProducts :: Handler [Product]
1081+ where getProducts :: ExceptT ServantErr IO [Product]
9641082 getProducts = error "..."
9651083
966− newProduct :: Product -> Handler NoContent
1084+ newProduct :: Product -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
9671085 newProduct = error "..."
9681086
9691087 productOperations productid =
9701088 viewProduct productid :<|> updateProduct productid :<|> deleteProduct productid
9711089
9721090 where
973− viewProduct :: Int -> Handler Product
1091+ viewProduct :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO Product
9741092 viewProduct = error "..."
9751093
976− updateProduct :: Int -> Product -> Handler NoContent
1094+ updateProduct :: Int -> Product -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
9771095 updateProduct = error "..."
9781096
979− deleteProduct :: Int -> Handler NoContent
1097+ deleteProduct :: Int -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()
9801098 deleteProduct = error "..."
9811099```
9821100
@@ -988,213 +1106,139 @@ server10 :: Server CombinedAPI
9881106server10 = usersServer :<|> productsServer
9891107```
9901108
991−Finally, we can realize the user and product APIs are quite similar and
992−abstract that away:
1109+Finally, we can realize the user and product APIs are quite similar and abstract that away:
9931110
9941111``` haskell
9951112-- API for values of type 'a'
9961113-- indexed by values of type 'i'
9971114type APIFor a i =
9981115 Get '[JSON] [a] -- list 'a's
999− :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] a :> PostNoContent -- add an 'a'
1116+ :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] a :> Post '[] () -- add an 'a'
10001117 :<|> Capture "id" i :>
10011118 ( Get '[JSON] a -- view an 'a' given its "identifier" of type 'i'
1002− :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] a :> PutNoContent -- update an 'a'
1003− :<|> DeleteNoContent -- delete an 'a'
1119+ :<|> ReqBody '[JSON] a :> Put '[] () -- update an 'a'
1120+ :<|> Delete '[] () -- delete an 'a'
10041121 )
10051122
10061123-- Build the appropriate 'Server'
10071124-- given the handlers of the right type.
1008−serverFor :: Handler [a] -- handler for listing of 'a's
1009− -> (a -> Handler NoContent) -- handler for adding an 'a'
1010− -> (i -> Handler a) -- handler for viewing an 'a' given its identifier of type 'i'
1011− -> (i -> a -> Handler NoContent) -- updating an 'a' with given id
1012− -> (i -> Handler NoContent) -- deleting an 'a' given its id
1125+serverFor :: ExceptT ServantErr IO [a] -- handler for listing of 'a's
1126+ -> (a -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()) -- handler for adding an 'a'
1127+ -> (i -> ExceptT ServantErr IO a) -- handler for viewing an 'a' given its identifier of type 'i'
1128+ -> (i -> a -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()) -- updating an 'a' with given id
1129+ -> (i -> ExceptT ServantErr IO ()) -- deleting an 'a' given its id
10131130 -> Server (APIFor a i)
10141131serverFor = error "..."
10151132-- implementation left as an exercise. contact us on IRC
10161133-- or the mailing list if you get stuck!
10171134```
10181135
1019−When your API contains the `EmptyAPI` combinator, you'll want to use
1020−`emptyServer` in the corresponding slot for your server, which will simply fail
1021−with 404 whenever a request reaches it:
1136+Using another monad for your handlers
1137+=====================================
10221138
1023−``` haskell
1024−type CombinedAPI2 = API :<|> "empty" :> EmptyAPI
1025−
1026−server11 :: Server CombinedAPI2
1027−server11 = server3 :<|> emptyServer
1028−```
1029−
1030−## Using another monad for your handlers
1031−
1032−Remember how `Server` turns combinators for HTTP methods into `Handler`? Well, actually, there's more to that. `Server` is actually a
1033−simple type synonym.
1139+Remember how `Server` turns combinators for HTTP methods into `ExceptT ServantErr IO`? Well, actually, there's more to that. `Server` is actually a simple type synonym.
10341140
10351141``` haskell ignore
1036−type Server api = ServerT api Handler
1142+type Server api = ServerT api (ExceptT ServantErr IO)
10371143```
10381144
1039−`ServerT` is the actual type family that computes the required types for the
1040−handlers that's part of the `HasServer` class. It's like `Server` except that
1041−it takes another parameter which is the monad you want your handlers to run in,
1042−or more generally the return types of your handlers. This third parameter is
1043−used for specifying the return type of the handler for an endpoint, e.g when
1044−computing `ServerT (Get '[JSON] Person) SomeMonad`. The result would be
1045−`SomeMonad Person`.
1145+`ServerT` is the actual type family that computes the required types for the handlers that's part of the `HasServer` class. It's like `Server` except that it takes a third parameter which is the monad you want your handlers to run in, or more generally the return types of your handlers. This third parameter is used for specifying the return type of the handler for an endpoint, e.g when computing `ServerT (Get '[JSON] Person) SomeMonad`. The result would be `SomeMonad Person`.
10461146
1047−The first and main question one might have then is: how do we write handlers
1048−that run in another monad? How can we "bring back" the value from a given monad
1049−into something **servant** can understand?
1147+The first and main question one might have then is: how do we write handlers that run in another monad? How can we "bring back" the value from a given monad into something *servant* can understand?
10501148
1051−### Natural transformations
1149+Natural transformations
1150+-----------------------
10521151
10531152If we have a function that gets us from an `m a` to an `n a`, for any `a`, what
10541153do we have?
10551154
1056−``` haskell
1057−type (~>) m n = forall a. m a -> n a
1058−```
1059−
1060−For example:
1155+``` haskell ignore
1156+newtype m :~> n = Nat { unNat :: forall a. m a -> n a}
10611157
1062−``` haskell
1063−listToMaybe' :: [] ~> Maybe
1064−listToMaybe' = listToMaybe -- from Data.Maybe
1158+-- For example
1159+-- listToMaybeNat ::`[] :~> Maybe`
1160+-- listToMaybeNat = Nat listToMaybe -- from Data.Maybe
10651161```
1162+(`Nat` comes from "natural transformation", in case you're wondering.)
10661163
1067−Note that `servant` doesn't declare the `~>` type-alias, as the unfolded
1068−variant isn't much longer to write, as we'll see shortly.
1069−
1070−So if you want to write handlers using another monad/type than `Handler`, say the `Reader String` monad, the first thing you have to
1164+So if you want to write handlers using another monad/type than `ExceptT
1165+ServantErr IO`, say the `Reader String` monad, the first thing you have to
10711166prepare is a function:
10721167
10731168``` haskell ignore
1074−readerToHandler :: Reader String a -> Handler a
1169+readerToEither :: Reader String :~> ExceptT ServantErr IO
10751170```
10761171
1077−We obviously have to run the `Reader` computation by supplying it with a
1078−`String`, like `"hi"`. We get an `a` out from that and can then just `return`
1079−it into `Handler`.
1172+Let's start with `readerToEither'`. We obviously have to run the `Reader`
1173+computation by supplying it with a `String`, like `"hi"`. We get an `a` out
1174+from that and can then just `return` it into `ExceptT`. We can then just wrap
1175+that function with the `Nat` constructor to make it have the fancier type.
10801176
10811177``` haskell
1082−readerToHandler :: Reader String a -> Handler a
1083−readerToHandler r = return (runReader r "hi")
1178+readerToEither' :: forall a. Reader String a -> ExceptT ServantErr IO a
1179+readerToEither' r = return (runReader r "hi")
1180+
1181+readerToEither :: Reader String :~> ExceptT ServantErr IO
1182+readerToEither = Nat readerToEither'
10841183```
10851184
10861185We can write some simple webservice with the handlers running in `Reader String`.
10871186
10881187``` haskell
10891188type ReaderAPI = "a" :> Get '[JSON] Int
1090− :<|> "b" :> ReqBody '[JSON] Double :> Get '[JSON] Bool
1189+ :<|> "b" :> Get '[JSON] String
10911190
10921191readerAPI :: Proxy ReaderAPI
10931192readerAPI = Proxy
10941193
10951194readerServerT :: ServerT ReaderAPI (Reader String)
1096−readerServerT = a :<|> b where
1097− a :: Reader String Int
1098− a = return 1797
1195+readerServerT = a :<|> b
1196+
1197+ where a :: Reader String Int
1198+ a = return 1797
10991199
1100− b :: Double -> Reader String Bool
1101− b _ = asks (== "hi")
1200+ b :: Reader String String
1201+ b = ask
11021202```
11031203
11041204We unfortunately can't use `readerServerT` as an argument of `serve`, because
1105−`serve` wants a `Server ReaderAPI`, i.e., with handlers running in `Handler`. But there's a simple solution to this.
1205+`serve` wants a `Server ReaderAPI`, i.e., with handlers running in `ExceptT
1206+ServantErr IO`. But there's a simple solution to this.
11061207
1107−### Welcome `hoistServer`
1208+Enter `enter`
1209+-------------
11081210
1109−That's right. We have just written `readerToHandler`, which is exactly what we
1110−would need to apply to all handlers to make the handlers have the
1211+That's right. We have just written `readerToEither`, which is exactly what we
1212+would need to apply to the results of all handlers to make the handlers have the
11111213right type for `serve`. Being cumbersome to do by hand, we provide a function
1112−`hoistServer` which takes a natural transformation between two parameterized types `m`
1214+`enter` which takes a natural transformation between two parametrized types `m`
11131215and `n` and a `ServerT someapi m`, and returns a `ServerT someapi n`.
11141216
1115−In our case, we can wrap up our little webservice by using
1116−`hoistServer readerAPI readerToHandler` on our handlers.
1217+In our case, we can wrap up our little webservice by using `enter readerToEither` on our handlers.
11171218
11181219``` haskell
11191220readerServer :: Server ReaderAPI
1120−readerServer = hoistServer readerAPI readerToHandler readerServerT
1221+readerServer = enter readerToEither readerServerT
11211222
11221223app4 :: Application
1123−app4 = serve readerAPI readerServer
1224+app4 = serve readerAPI EmptyConfig readerServer
11241225```
11251226
1126−This is the webservice in action:
1227+And we can indeed see this webservice in action by running `dist/build/tutorial/tutorial 7`.
11271228
11281229``` bash
11291230$ curl http://localhost:8081/a
113012311797
1131−$ curl http://localhost:8081/b -X GET -d '42.0' -H 'Content-Type: application/json'
1132−true
1133−```
1134−
1135−### An arrow is a reader too.
1136−
1137−In previous versions of `servant` we had an `enter` to do what `hoistServer`
1138−does now. `enter` had an ambitious design goals, but was problematic in practice.
1139−
1140−One problematic situation was when the source monad was `(->) r`, yet it's
1141−handy in practice, because `(->) r` is isomorphic to `Reader r`.
1142−
1143−We can rewrite the previous example without `Reader`:
1144−
1145−```haskell
1146−funServerT :: ServerT ReaderAPI ((->) String)
1147−funServerT = a :<|> b where
1148− a :: String -> Int
1149− a _ = 1797
1150−
1151− -- unfortunately, we cannot make `String` the first argument.
1152− b :: Double -> String -> Bool
1153− b _ s = s == "hi"
1154−
1155−funToHandler :: (String -> a) -> Handler a
1156−funToHandler f = return (f "hi")
1157−
1158−app5 :: Application
1159−app5 = serve readerAPI (hoistServer readerAPI funToHandler funServerT)
1160−```
1161−
1162−## Streaming endpoints
1163−
1164−We can create endpoints that don't just give back a single result, but give
1165−back a *stream* of results, served one at a time. Stream endpoints only provide
1166−a single content type, and also specify what framing strategy is used to
1167−delineate the results. To serve these results, we need to give back a stream
1168−producer. Adapters can be written to *Pipes*, *Conduit* and the like, or
1169−written directly as `SourceIO`s. SourceIO builds upon servant's own `SourceT`
1170−stream type (it's simpler than *Pipes* or *Conduit*).
1171−The API of a streaming endpoint needs to explicitly specify which sort of
1172−generator it produces. Note that the generator itself is returned by a
1173−`Handler` action, so that additional IO may be done in the creation of one.
1174−
1175−``` haskell
1176−type StreamAPI = "userStream" :> StreamGet NewlineFraming JSON (SourceIO User)
1177−streamAPI :: Proxy StreamAPI
1178−streamAPI = Proxy
1179−
1180−streamUsers :: SourceIO User
1181−streamUsers = source [isaac, albert, albert]
1182−
1183−app6 :: Application
1184−app6 = serve streamAPI (return streamUsers)
1232+$ curl http://localhost:8081/b
1233+"hi"
11851234```
11861235
1187−This simple application returns a stream of `User` values encoded in JSON
1188−format, with each value separated by a newline. In this case, the stream will
1189−consist of the value of `isaac`, followed by the value of `albert`, then the
1190−value of `albert` a second time. Importantly, the stream is written back as
1191−results are produced, rather than all at once. This means first that results
1192−are delivered when they are available, and second, that if an exception
1193−interrupts production of the full stream, nonetheless partial results have
1194−already been written back.
1236+Conclusion
1237+==========
11951238
1196−## Conclusion
1239+You're now equipped to write any kind of webservice/web-application using *servant*. One thing not covered here is how to incorporate your own combinators and will be the topic of a page on the website. The rest of this document focuses on *servant-client*, *servant-jquery* and *servant-docs*.
11971240
1198−You're now equipped to write webservices/web-applications using
1199−**servant**. The rest of this document focuses on **servant-client**,
1200−**servant-js** and **servant-docs**.
1241+<div style="text-align: center;">
1242+ <p><a href="/tutorial/api-type.html">Previous page: A web API as a type</a></p>
1243+ <p><a href="/tutorial/client.html">Next page: Deriving Haskell functions to query an API</a></p>
1244+</div>