Channels API
------------
.. image:: https://travis-ci.org/linuxlewis/channels-api.svg?branch=master
:target: https://travis-ci.org/linuxlewis/channels-api
Channels API exposes a RESTful Streaming API over WebSockets using
channels. It provides a ``ResourceBinding`` which is comparable to Django
Rest Framework's ``ModelViewSet``. It is based on DRF serializer
classes.
It requires Python 2.7 or 3.x, Channels <=1.1.8.1, Django <=1.11, and Django Rest Framework 3.x
You can learn more about channels-api from my talk at the `SF Django Meetup <https://vimeo.com/194110172#t=3033>`__ or `PyBay 2016 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzC_pUhoW0I>`__
Table of Contents
-----------------
- `Getting Started <#getting-started>`__
- `ResourceBinding <#resourcebinding>`__
- `Subscriptions <#subscriptions>`__
- `Custom Actions <#custom-actions>`__
- `Permissions <#permissions>`__
How does it work?
-----------------
The API builds on top of channels' ``WebsocketBinding`` class. It works by having
the client send a ``stream`` and ``payload`` parameters. This allows
us to route messages to different streams (or resources) for a particular
action. So ``POST /user`` would have a message that looks like the following
.. code:: javascript
var msg = {
stream: "users",
payload: {
action: "create",
data: {
email: "test@example.com",
password: "password"
}
}
}
ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
Why?
----
You're already using Django Rest Framework and want to expose similar
logic over WebSockets.
WebSockets can publish updates to clients without a request. This is
helpful when a resource can be edited by multiple users across many platforms.
Getting Started
---------------
This tutorial assumes you're familiar with channels and have completed
the `Getting
Started <https://channels.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting-started.html>`__
- Add ``channels_api`` to requirements.txt
.. code:: bash
pip install channels_api
- Add ``channels_api`` to ``INSTALLED_APPS``
.. code:: python
INSTALLED_APPS = (
'rest_framework',
'channels',
'channels_api'
)
- Add your first resource binding
.. code:: python
# polls/bindings.py
from channels_api.bindings import ResourceBinding
from .models import Question
from .serializers import QuestionSerializer
class QuestionBinding(ResourceBinding):
model = Question
stream = "questions"
serializer_class = QuestionSerializer
queryset = Question.objects.all()
- Add a ``WebsocketDemultiplexer`` to your ``channel_routing``
.. code:: python
# proj/routing.py
from channels.generic.websockets import WebsocketDemultiplexer
from channels.routing import route_class
from polls.bindings import QuestionBinding
class APIDemultiplexer(WebsocketDemultiplexer):
consumers = {
'questions': QuestionBinding.consumer
}
channel_routing = [
route_class(APIDemultiplexer)
]
That's it. You can now make REST WebSocket requests to the server.
.. code:: javascript
var ws = new WebSocket("ws://" + window.location.host + "/")
ws.onmessage = function(e){
console.log(e.data)
}
var msg = {
stream: "questions",
payload: {
action: "create",
data: {
question_text: "What is your favorite python package?"
},
request_id: "some-guid"
}
}
ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
// response
{
stream: "questions",
payload: {
action: "create",
data: {
id: "1",
question_text: "What is your favorite python package"
}
errors: [],
response_status: 200
request_id: "some-guid"
}
}
- Add the channels debugger page (Optional)
This page is helpful to debug API requests from the browser and see the
response. It is only designed to be used when ``DEBUG=TRUE``.
.. code:: python
# proj/urls.py
from django.conf.urls import include
urlpatterns = [
url(r'^channels-api/', include('channels_api.urls'))
]
ResourceBinding
---------------
By default the ``ResourceBinding`` implements the following REST methods:
- ``create``
- ``retrieve``
- ``update``
- ``list``
- ``delete``
- ``subscribe``
See the test suite for usage examples for each method.
List Pagination
---------------
Pagination is handled by `django.core.paginator.Paginator`
You can configure the ``DEFAULT_PAGE_SIZE`` by overriding the settings.
.. code:: python
# settings.py
CHANNELS_API = {
'DEFAULT_PAGE_SIZE': 25
}
Subscriptions
-------------
Subscriptions are a way to programmatically receive updates
from the server whenever a resource is created, updated, or deleted
By default channels-api has implemented the following subscriptions
- create a Resource
- update any Resource
- update this Resource
- delete any Resource
- delete this Resource
To subscribe to a particular event just use the subscribe action
with the parameters to filter
.. code:: javascript
// get an event when any question is updated
var msg = {
stream: "questions",
payload: {
action: "subscribe",
data: {
action: "update"
}
}
}
// get an event when question(1) is updated
var msg = {
stream: "questions",
payload: {
action: "subscribe",
pk: "1",
data: {
action: "update"
}
}
}
Custom Actions
--------------
To add your own custom actions, use the ``detail_action`` or ``list_action``
decorators.
.. code:: python
from channels_api.bindings import ResourceBinding
from channels_api.decorators import detail_action, list_action
from .models import Question
from .serializers import QuestionSerializer
class QuestionBinding(ResourceBinding):
model = Question
stream = "questions"
serializer_class = QuestionSerializer
queryset = Question.objects.all()
@detail_action()
def publish(self, pk, data=None, **kwargs):
instance = self.get_object(pk)
result = instance.publish()
return result, 200
@list_action()
def report(self, data=None, **kwargs):
report = self.get_queryset().build_report()
return report, 200
Then pass the method name as "action" in your message
.. code:: javascript
// run the publish() custom action on Question 1
var msg = {
stream: "questions",
payload: {
action: "publish",
data: {
pk: "1"
}
}
}
// run the report() custom action on all Questions
var msg = {
stream: "questions",
payload: {
action: "report"
}
}
Permissions
-----------
Channels API offers a simple permission class system inspired by rest_framework.
There are two provided permission classes: ``AllowAny`` and ``IsAuthenticated``.
To configure permissions globally use the setting ``DEFAULT_PERMISSION_CLASSES`` like so
.. code:: python
# settings.py
CHANNELS_API = {
'DEFAULT_PERMISSION_CLASSES': ('channels_api.permissions.AllowAny',)
}
You can also configure the permission classes on a ``ResourceBinding`` itself like so
.. code:: python
from channels_api.permissions import IsAuthenticated
class MyBinding(ResourceBinding):
permission_classes = (IsAuthenticated,)
Lastly, to implement your own permission class, override the ``has_permission`` of ``BasePermission``.
.. code:: python
from channels_api.permissions import BasePermission
class MyPermission(BasePermission):
def has_permission(self, user, action, pk):
if action == "CREATE":
return True
return False