nodejs-loopback-api-cloudant Overview

A simple API using StrongLoop Loopback backed by a Cloudant database. Create an RESTful API in minutes and Create, Read, Update and Delete (CRUD) data, complete with a swagger dashbaord.

This projects lets you run your loopback node.js application on Bluemix with a Cloudant database

This application is designed to be used as a microservice. You can reuse this application in combination with to other application(s) to manage any json data. For example, you might have a front end UI application written in any language and you can use this API as your backend. You can also use this application as part of your mobile solution.

Let's get started!

Option 1: Start from this repo

1. If you do not already have a Bluemix account, [sign up here][bluemix_signup_url]

2. Download and install the [Cloud Foundry CLI][cloud_foundry_url] tool

3. Clone the app to your local environment from your terminal using the following command:

git clone https://github.com/IBM-Bluemix/nodejs-loopback-api-cloudant.git

4. cd into this newly created directory

5. Open the manifest.yml file and change the host value to something unique.

The host you choose will determinate the subdomain of your application's URL: <host>.mybluemix.net

6. Connect to Bluemix in the command line tool and follow the prompts to log in

$ cf api https://api.ng.bluemix.net
$ cf login

7. Create the Cloudant service in Bluemix

$ cf create-service cloudantNoSQLDB Shared loopback-db

11. Push the app to Bluemix.

$ cf push

And voila! You now have your very own REST API! at YOURAPPNAME.mybluemix.net/api/Items . You can use the API Explorer to easily insert, delete, or update items: YOURAPPNAME.mybluemix.net/explorer

Option 2: Start from scratch! Develop locally and push to Bluemix (recommended)

Open your teminal and follow the steps below:

npm install -g strongloop
slc loopback
? What's the name of your application? myLoopbackAPI
? Enter name of the directory to contain the project: myLoopbackAPI

cd myLoopbackAPI

npm install loopback-connector-cloudant --save

slc loopback:model
? Enter the model name: Item
? Select the data-source to attach Item to: db (memory)
? Select model's base class (Use arrow keys) ❯ PersistedModel 
? Expose Item via the REST API? (Y/n) Y
? Custom plural form (used to build REST URL): Items
? Common model or server only? (Use arrow keys) common
? Property name: name
? Property type: (Use arrow keys) string
? Required? Y
<enter> when done

You're API is ready, but its currently using an in-memory database. If you restart your application, all data will be lost! Let's fix that by using a Cloudant database from Bluemix. Cloudant is a NoSQL database.

Use Cloudant Database

Update server/datasources.json to just:

{ }

Create the file server/datasources.local.js and add this code:

var http = require('http');
var request = require('request');

//Local Development
//Enter your Cloudant URL here. Get this from your Bluemix Cloudant service by clicking on "Show Credentials" or "Service Credentials".
var url = "PUT_URL_HERE";
var databaseName = "mydb"; //You need to log into Cloudant Dashbaord and create this database

//Running on Bluemix. Gets the Cloudant credentials from VCAP_SERVICES env variable
if(process.env.VCAP_SERVICES){
	var vcap_services = JSON.parse(process.env.VCAP_SERVICES);
	url = vcap_services.cloudantNoSQLDB[0].credentials.url;
}

//Create the database (mydb) if it doesn't exist.
request.put(url + "/" + databaseName).on('error', function(err) {
    console.log("ERROR CREATING DATABSE: " + err);
  })

module.exports = {
  "db": {
	  "connector": "cloudant",
	  "url": url,
	  "database": databaseName
	}
};

Create a Cloudant database service in Bluemix UI.

Back in the Bluemix UI, click on Service Credentials and generate credentials

Copy the url field from credentials to server/datasources.local.js

var url = "PUT_URL_HERE";

Next, install some dependencies:

npm install request --save

Start the server! node . from your myLoopbackAPI directory

Your REST API is available at: http://0.0.0.0:3000/api/Items Your API Explorer API at http://0.0.0.0:3000/explorer

Push to Bluemix

We don't want to push the node_modules folder to Bluemix. So, lets create a .cfignore file From the myLoopbackAPI folder:

echo node_modules >> .cfignore

Then, Push to Bluemix.

cf push PickAName

This will fail because it needs a Cloudant database.

Go to your Bluemix UI, click on your application, Bind a Service and choose the Cloudant database you chose before. You'll be prompoted to restage. Click Yes. After that completes:

Your REST API is available at: http://PickAName.mybluemix.net/api/Items Your API Explorer API at http://PickAName.mybluemix.net/explorer

Troubleshooting

The primary source of debugging information for your Bluemix app is the logs. To see them, run the following command using the Cloud Foundry CLI:

$ cf logs nodejsLoopbackAPI --recent

For more detailed information on troubleshooting your application, see the Troubleshooting section in the Bluemix documentation.

Contribute

We are more than happy to accept external contributions to this project, be it in the form of issues and pull requests. If you find a bug, please report it via the [Issues section][issues_url] or even better, fork the project and submit a pull request with your fix! Pull requests will be evaulated on an individual basis based on value add to the sample application.