This article describes REST data source configuration and usage in the Table Grid Next Generation.
The Data source type is REST. We support only JSON for processing data.
You can access remote REST API using data sources in the Grid Custom Field.
REST Data source configuration
Try the example REST data source with users' data https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users
You can add a Data source under the Data Sources tab in the grid configuration dashboard.
Available fields:
Name - a name of your data source connection
Description - optional description of the data source for your reference. It will be displayed below the title in the Data source list.
Datasource type - the type of your data source. You can use REST and SQL data sources.
URL - URL address of the web service you want to connect to the grid.
Path - the path to JSON array. You can specify it when loading a specific array from the JSON.
Headers - allows adding header fields. You can use them in case the data source requires HTTP authentication.
You can test a connection to the data source using a Test Connection button.
Path to JSON array
You can specify the direct path to an array inside the JSON with the help of JSONPath expressions. Data may be found and extracted out of JSON structures.
JSONPath expressions always refer to a JSON structure. A JSON structure is usually anonymous and doesn't have a "root member object". Thus the JSONPath assumes the abstract name $ assigned to the outer level object.
JSONPath expressions can use the dot–notation.
Overview of the JSONPath syntax elements
| JSONPath | Description |
| $ | the root object/element |
| @ | the current object/element |
| . or [] | child operator |
| n/a | parent |
| * | wildcard. All objects/elements regardless their names. |
| [] | subscript operator. In JSON it is the native array operator. |
| ?() | applies a filter (script) expression. |
| () | script expression, using the underlying script engine. |
JSONPath square brackets operate on the object or array addressed by the previous path fragment. Indices always start by 0.
JSONPath examples
To practice JSONPath expressions with some examples we will start with a simple JSON structure representing a users' data.
[
{
"id": 1,
"name": "Leanne Graham",
"username": "Bret",
"email": "Sincere@april.biz",
"address": {
"street": "Kulas Light",
"suite": "Apt. 556",
"city": "Gwenborough",
"zipcode": "92998-3874",
"geo": {
"lat": "-37.3159",
"lng": "81.1496"}
},
"phone": "1-770-736-8031 x56442",
"website": "hildegard.org",
"company": {
"name": "Romaguera-Crona",
"catchPhrase": "Multi-layered client-server neural-net",
"bs": "harness real-time e-markets"
}
},
{
"id": 2,
"name": "Ervin Howell",
"username": "Antonette",
"email": "Shanna@melissa.tv",
"address": {
"street": "Victor Plains",
"suite": "Suite 879",
"city": "Wisokyburgh",
"zipcode": "90566-7771",
"geo": {
"lat": "-43.9509",
"lng": "-34.4618"
}
},
"phone": "010-692-6593 x09125",
"website": "anastasia.net",
"company": {
"name": "Deckow-Crist",
"catchPhrase": "Proactive didactic contingency",
"bs": "synergize scalable supply-chains"
}
}
| JSONPath | Result |
|---|---|
| $[*] | all members of JSON structure |
| $[*].company.name | company names of all users in the data source |
| $[*].username | all usernames in the data source |