With API versioning it is possible to customize behavior of API for different clients. You can determine an API version through request of a client. It is either based on request headers or on request URL. There are numerous genuine approaches to versioning.
When API Versioning is needed?
You can avoid API versioning, when an API serves as a client or when API you are using underwent some small changes. However, some critical changes to business logic or code of your app can affect existing clients. In this situation, API versioning is the only way to roll over the existing clients.
Best Gems for API Versioning with Ruby on Rails
Rails host a range of gems for building API with versioning. Have a glance at them in detail.
Versionist
It is an amazing gem supporting 3 versioning tactics – URL path, Request Parameter, and HTTP header. Tests, presenters, controllers, documentation, and routes are namespaced. It isolates the code of API version from each other. It is more precise, as isolating logic within namespaces is cleaner and a better approach than dealing with a blend of different versions in one controller. With new API versions and new components, you can automate routine tasks.
One major downside of this gem is that the API versioning functionality if offers do not support fallbacks to the initial version if the already mentioned logic has not been copied to the new version.
Versioncake
This is another gem using a different approach. One great feature of this gem is that it has fallbacks to initial versions. Besides accept header, query param, custom header, and path, it also offers the ability to generate a unique versioning approach. This approach accepts request and allow developers to specify an API version at one place in the request in the desired form.
It offers special methods to access the version you request. Even, it offers latest version within the instance of controller. It comprises rich features, almost similar to version depreciation and seems an excellent solution for API versioning. But it is little bit heavy as some of its additional features might not be used in generic API cases.
Rocket_pants
This gem is perfect for not just API versioning, but is also loaded with numerous other features to build APIs. Though, rocket_pants is not compatible with the latest Rails 5, but this might change in future. It comes with path parameter support for versioning strategies. Besides namespaced controllers and routes, it has default configuration to view versioning. With the serializable_hash method, it offers support for data rendering and lets you determine a namespaced serializer for a specific API version.
This API version gem allows you inherit route definitions from the previous version. But this needs you to possess a controller with a particular action for this version as well. There is a generator task in the gem that creates controllers for next version.
Acts_as_api
Though, the gem is not designed for API versioning, but rather offers a simple Domain Specific Language defining the model data representation that must be rendered in API responses. However, it is still possible to use this for API versioning.
Stripe Ruby Library
This library offers convenient access to Stripe API from applications in Ruby language. It offers a pre-defined set of sections for API resources that initialize themselves dynamically from the API responses that make it compatible with an extensive range of versions.
It offers great features like convenient configuration path for efficient use and fast setup. Helping for pagination and tracking fresh values in the API resources so that it is possible to execute partial updates. Also, it includes built-in mechanisms to serialize parameters according to the Stripe’s API expectations.
Brakeman
It is a static open source analysis tool that checks applications on Ruby on Rails for safety vulnerabilities. It holds excellent compatibility with versions of rails and makes it simple to redirect stdout to a file and obtain a report.
Summing Up
There are different types of gems and approaches for API versioning with Rails available. Some are great, while some are weird. You must use one that fits well to your needs. Using a simple custom solution is also an excellent way to optimally cater your needs.
Guest article written by: Sunny Chawla is a Marketing Manager at AIS Technolabs. Web design and Development Company, helping global businesses to grow by Hiring Web Developers. He would love to share thoughts on Market research experts, Ruby On Rails Programmer, Social Media Marketing Services, Game Design Development and Digital Marketing etc.. For More: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook