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REST Views

In iDempiere, models typically have many columns and use a database-oriented naming convention. This structure may not align well with typical JSON schema practices. To address this, the REST View feature introduces a layer of abstraction, allowing developers to configure a simplified, JSON-oriented schema on top of iDempiere models.

Overview​

REST Views provide a mechanism to:

  • Select a subset of columns relevant to specific use cases.
  • Rename fields for better readability and consistency with frontend naming conventions.
  • Configure expand behavior for master-detail relationships.

Core Window and Tabs in iDempiere​

Rest_View

  • Name: Name of the view
  • AD_Table_ID: Reference to the iDempiere table
  • WhereClause: Optional filter for the data

Rest_ViewColumn

  • Name: JSON field name
  • Rest_View_ID: Associated REST View
  • AD_Column_ID: Reference to the database column
  • REST_ReferenceView_ID: (Optional) Reference to another REST View for expanding master data

Rest_ViewRelated

  • Name: Relation name
  • Rest_View_ID: Associated REST View
  • REST_RelatedRestView_ID: Reference to related REST View for detail data
  • IsRestAutoExpand: Automatically expand related data when fetching a record by ID

API Endpoints​

These endpoints behave identically to those under api/v1/models, but they operate on the defined REST Views instead of raw database models.

GET /api/v1/views​

Retrieve the list of active REST View definitions (Rest_View, Rest_ViewColumn, Rest_ViewRelated).

Usage​

You can use any model-based API method with REST Views by simply replacing:

  • models with views
  • {tableName} with {viewName}

Examples​

  • GET /api/v1/views/{viewName} — Equivalent to querying all records from a model
  • GET /api/v1/views/{viewName}/{id} — Equivalent to fetching a single record by ID
  • POST /api/v1/views/{viewName} — Create a record based on the REST View schema

For more information and examples, see: GitHub Issue #281