Sending data with POST

Sending Data with POST

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The POST method is used to send data to an API endpoint, often to create a new resource. This section demonstrates adding a new book to the Postman Library API using a POST request and a JSON body.

Request Body

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The request body contains the data sent to the server. It’s commonly used with POST, PUT, and PATCH requests. Postman’s “Body” tab allows specifying various body data types. The “raw” type with the “JSON” option is used in this example.

Adding a Book

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1. In the Postman Library API v2 collection, add a new request named “add book.”
2. Set the request method to POST.
3. Set the request URL to {{baseUrl}}/books.
4. In the “Body” tab, select “raw” and then “JSON” from the dropdown.
5. Enter a JSON object representing the new book. Example:

{
  "title": "To Kill a Mockingbird",
  "author": "Harper Lee",
  "genre": "fiction",
  "yearPublished": 1960
}

6. Save and send the request.

Initially, a 401 Unauthorized response might be received. This indicates missing authorization.

Adding an Authorization Header

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Many APIs require authorization to protect sensitive operations. The Postman Library API uses API keys for authorization.

Authorization Methods

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Several authorization methods exist, including Basic Auth (username/password), OAuth (delegated authorization), and API Keys.

API Keys

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APIs using API Key authorization often require registration on a developer portal to obtain a unique key. The Postman Library API uses a predefined key for simplicity.

• Header Name: api-key
• Header Value: postmanrulz

Request Headers

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Headers provide metadata about a request, such as authorization information or desired response data type. They are distinct from the request body.

Adding the API Key

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1. In the “add book” request, go to the “Headers” tab.
2. Add the key api-key with the value postmanrulz.
3. Save and send the request.

A successful request returns a 201 Created response with the new book’s data, including a unique id.

Viewing the New Book (Optional)

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The new book can be retrieved using the “get book by id” request with the newly assigned ID.

Using Postman’s Authorization Helper

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Postman provides an authorization helper to simplify the process.

1. In the “add book” request, delete the manually added api-key header.
2. Select the Postman Library API v2 collection.
3. Go to the “Authorization” (or “Auth”) tab.
4. Select “API Key” as the authorization type.
5. Enter api-key as the Key and postmanrulz as the Value. Set “Add to” as “Header.”
6. Save the collection.

Now, all requests within the collection inheriting authorization from the parent will include the api-key header.

Adding Another Book

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1. Modify the request body in the “add book” request with new book details.
2. Ensure the “Authorization” tab is set to “Inherit auth from parent.”
3. Save and send the request.

   

The “get book by id” request can be used to retrieve the newly added book.