Supported parameter and return types

This page lists the data types you can use as API parameter types in the path or query parameters for your a backend API methods, and the types you can use as method return types or request body types.

Supported types for path and query parameters

The supported types for path and query parameter are the following:

  • java.lang.String
  • java.lang.Boolean and boolean
  • java.lang.Integer and int
  • java.lang.Long and long
  • java.lang.Float and float
  • java.lang.Double and double
  • java.util.Date
  • com.google.api.server.spi.types.DateAndTime
  • com.google.api.server.spi.types.SimpleDate
  • Any enum
  • Any array or java.util.Collection of the types listed here. Arrays or collections of other types aren't supported.

To specify a parameter as either a path or query parameter, annotate the parameter with @Named. For example:

public Resource get(@Named("id") int id) { … }

Path parameters

Path parameters are the method parameters included in the path property of the @ApiMethod annotation. If path is unspecified, any parameters not annotated with @Nullable or @DefaultValue are automatically added to the path as path parameters. For example:

public Resource get(@Named("id") int id) { … }

To manually add a parameter to path, include the parameter name in {} marks in the path. Parameters manually added to path cannot be annotated with @Nullable or @DefaultValue. For example:

@ApiMethod(path = "resources/{id}")
public Resource get(@Named("id") int id) { … }

Query parameters

Query parameters are the method parameters not included in the path property of the @ApiMethod annotation. Note that optional parameters, namely, those annotated with @Nullable or @DefaultValue, are never automatically added to path, so they are automatically query parameters if no path is specified. For example:

public Resource get(@Named("id") @Nullable int id) { … }

If path is specified, you can make parameters be query parameters by not including them in the path. For example:

@ApiMethod(path = "resources")
public Resource get(@Named("id") int id) { … }

Injected types

Injected types are those types that receive special treatment by Cloud Endpoints Frameworks. If such a type is used as a method parameter, it isn't made a part of the API. Instead, the parameter is filled in by Endpoints Frameworks.

The injected types are the following:

  • com.google.appengine.api.users.User
  • javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest
  • javax.servlet.ServletContext

Entity types

In the Endpoints Frameworks documentation, entity types are synonymous with Java Beans. The classes that you define for use in your API must:

  • Have a public constructor that takes no arguments.
  • Control access to private properties using getters and setters. Additionally, each setter must take only one parameter.

Typically entity types also implement Serializable, but this isn't a requirement to use Endpoints Frameworks.

Don't use the @Named annotation for entity type parameters.

The request body

When you pass an entity type as a parameter in a method, the properties in the entity type are mapped to JSON fields in the request body. Your methods must contain only one entity type parameter. For example:

public Resource set(Resource resource) { … }

You can include non-entity type parameters and an entity type parameter in a method. For example:

@ApiMethod(name = "echo")
public Message echo(Message message, @Named("n") @Nullable Integer n) { … }

In the preceding example, the properties in the message parameter are mapped to JSON fields in the request body. The @Nullable annotation indicates that the n parameter is optional, so it is passed as a query parameter.

The response object

The method return value must be one of the following:

  • An entity type
  • A generic type
  • CollectionResponse (com.google.api.server.spi.response.CollectionResponse) or a subclass of CollectionResponse

The JSON fields in the response object are mapped from the properties in the return value.

Effect of @ApiTransformer on types

If you use @ApiTransformer, you need to be aware of how the type is impacted by the transformation.

@ApiTransformer and parameter types

When an @ApiTransformer is used, whether or not the resulting method parameter is considered a parameter type depends on the result of transformation, not on the original type. If a type is transformed to a parameter type, the method parameter is considered an API parameter and must be annotated with @Named.

@ApiTransformer and entity types

Similarly, whether or not a method parameter or return type is considered an entity type depends on the result of transformation, not on the original type. If a type is transformed to an entity type, the type can be used as a return type, and when used as a method parameter, it cannot be annotated with @Named as it is considered an entity type.

@ApiTransformer and injected types

Injected types aren't affected by an @ApiTransformer. A method parameter is only considered an injected type if its original non-transformed type is an injected type.