API Creator

Overview

The API Creator in the Phenix Design System provides a streamlined way to create custom REST API endpoints in WordPress without writing extensive code. This powerful tool allows developers to extend WordPress's REST API functionality, enabling custom data retrieval and manipulation for frontend applications, headless WordPress setups, or integration with third-party services. With simple configuration options and built-in security controls, the API Creator makes it easy to expose your WordPress data in a controlled, secure manner.

Key Features

• No-code creation of custom REST API endpoints
• Secure permission controls for endpoint access
• Support for multiple HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT)
• Custom parameter validation
• Integration with WordPress data including posts, users, and custom data
• JSON response formatting
• Error handling and validation

Understanding WordPress REST API

The WordPress REST API provides HTTP endpoints for interacting with WordPress data. By default, WordPress includes endpoints for posts, pages, users, and other core data types. The API Creator extends this functionality by allowing you to create custom endpoints for:

• Custom post types data
• User-specific data
• Site settings and options
• Custom database queries
• Integration with third-party services
• Frontend data requirements

Accessing API Creator

To access the API Creator interface:

1. In your WordPress admin, navigate to Phenix Design System
2. Select the API Creator tab

Creating a New API Endpoint

To create a new API endpoint:

1. Access the API Creator interface as described above
2. Click the Add New Endpoint button
3. Fill in the following information in the form:

Basic Settings

Setting	Description
Endpoint Name	A descriptive name for your endpoint
Endpoint Slug	The URL path for your endpoint (e.g., "custom-data")
Description	Brief explanation of the endpoint's purpose

Endpoint Configuration

Setting	Description
Namespace	API namespace (default: pds-blocks/v2)
Methods	HTTP methods to support (GET, POST, PUT)
Read Permission	Who can read data from this endpoint
Write Permission	Who can write data to this endpoint

Parameters

Define the parameters your endpoint accepts:

Setting	Description
Parameter Name	Name of the parameter (e.g., "post_id")
Parameter Type	Data type (string, integer, boolean, etc.)
Required	Whether the parameter is required
Default Value	Default value if parameter is not provided
Validation	Rules to validate parameter values

Response Configuration

Setting	Description
Response Format	Structure of the response data
Error Handling	How errors should be reported
Data Source	Where the endpoint gets its data

4. Click Save Endpoint

API Endpoint Structure

Each API endpoint in the Phenix Design System follows this URL structure:

https://your-site.com/wp-json/pds-blocks/v2/your-endpoint-slug

Where:

• wp-json is the WordPress REST API base
• pds-blocks/v2 is the Phenix API namespace
• your-endpoint-slug is your custom endpoint path

Permission Controls

The API Creator provides robust permission controls for your endpoints:

Permission	Description	Code Equivalent
Public	Anyone can access	__return_true
Logged-in Users	Only logged-in users can access	is_user_logged_in
Specific Role	Only users with specific role(s) can access	Custom callback
Custom	Custom permission logic	Custom callback

Using API Endpoints

Once created, your API endpoints can be accessed using standard HTTP requests:

GET Requests

For retrieving data:

// JavaScript example
fetch('https://your-site.com/wp-json/pds-blocks/v2/your-endpoint')
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data));

POST Requests

For creating or updating data:

// JavaScript example
fetch('https://your-site.com/wp-json/pds-blocks/v2/your-endpoint', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    parameter1: 'value1',
    parameter2: 'value2'
  })
})
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data));

Advanced Implementation

For developers who need more control, the Phenix Design System also provides a programmatic way to register custom API endpoints using the pds_add_api() function:

pds_add_api([
    'api_slug' => 'custom-endpoint',
    'api_props' => [
        'param1' => [
            'required' => true,
            'type' => 'string'
        ],
        'param2' => [
            'required' => false,
            'type' => 'integer'
        ]
    ],
    'get_method' => 'your_get_callback_function',
    'set_method' => 'your_set_callback_function',
    'read_prem' => '__return_true',
    'write_prem' => 'is_user_logged_in'
]);

Callback Functions

Your callback functions should handle the request and return a response:

function your_get_callback_function($request) {
    // Process GET request
    $params = $request->get_params();
    
    // Your logic here
    
    return rest_ensure_response([
        'success' => true,
        'data' => $your_data
    ]);
}

function your_set_callback_function($request) {
    // Process POST/PUT request
    $params = $request->get_params();
    
    // Your logic here
    
    return rest_ensure_response([
        'success' => true,
        'message' => 'Data updated successfully'
    ]);
}

Common API Endpoint Examples

Custom Post Type Data Endpoint

pds_add_api([
    'api_slug' => 'services',
    'api_props' => [
        'count' => [
            'required' => false,
            'type' => 'integer',
            'default' => 10
        ],
        'category' => [
            'required' => false,
            'type' => 'string'
        ]
    ],
    'get_method' => 'get_services_data',
    'set_method' => 'update_services_data',
    'read_prem' => '__return_true',
    'write_prem' => 'is_user_logged_in'
]);

User Data Endpoint

pds_add_api([
    'api_slug' => 'user-profile',
    'api_props' => [
        'user_id' => [
            'required' => true,
            'type' => 'integer'
        ]
    ],
    'get_method' => 'get_user_profile_data',
    'set_method' => 'update_user_profile_data',
    'read_prem' => 'is_user_logged_in',
    'write_prem' => 'can_edit_users'
]);

Best Practices

1. Use descriptive endpoint names that clearly indicate the endpoint's purpose

2. Implement proper validation for all parameters

3. Set appropriate permissions to protect sensitive data

4. Return standardized responses with consistent structure

5. Include error handling with meaningful error messages

6. Document your endpoints for other developers

7. Consider rate limiting for high-traffic endpoints

8. Use HTTPS for all API communications

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
404 errors	Ensure the endpoint is registered correctly and flush permalinks
Authentication failures	Verify the permission callback is correct
Parameter validation errors	Check parameter types and requirements
CORS issues	Add appropriate headers for cross-origin requests
Rate limiting	Implement caching or pagination for large data sets

Related Features

• Custom Post Types
• Custom Taxonomies
• Custom Meta Fields