Creating content via REST endpointsfor Drupal 8 , 9 , 10 , and 11

Expanding your Drupal capabilities to allow content creation via REST endpoints introduces new functionality to your headless setup. This not only diversifies how content can be generated and consumed but also aligns well with modern application systems that require dynamic content management. In this lesson, we will explore how to configure and utilize REST endpoints in Drupal to create content.

Prerequisites

Before diving into creating content via REST, ensure the following are set up:

• Basic understanding and setup of RESTful services in Drupal as covered in previous lessons.
• Authentication mechanisms such as Cookie or OAuth should be configured and understood to allow secure content creation.
• The RESTful Web Services and Serialization modules should be enabled.

Configuring the REST Endpoint for Content Creation

To create content through REST, you need to configure an endpoint that handles POST requests. Here’s how you can set it up:

Step 1: Enable Content Resource

In Drupal’s interface, navigate to Configuration > Web services > REST. Here, manage the Content resource by enabling it.

Configure this resource to allow POST requests and set up supported content types (formats) such as JSON:

    resources:
      entity:node:
        POST:
          supported_formats:
            - json
          supported_auth:
            - basic_auth
            - cookie
            - oauth
    

Step 2: Assign Permissions for POST Requests

Go to People > Permissions, and ensure that roles intended to create content through the API have permission to ‘Create new content’ and to access the RESTful POST endpoint.

Creating Content via API Request

Once configuration and permissions are set, you can create content by making POST requests to the designated REST endpoint. Use a tool like Postman or curl for testing:

Example: Creating an Article Node

To create an article node via the API, prepare the JSON payload containing the node data:

    {
        "type": [{"target_id": "article"}],
        "title": [{"value": "My First Article"}],
        "body": [{
            "value": "This is the body of the article.",
            "format": "plain_text"
        }]
    }
    

Sending the API Request

Use the following curl command to send a POST request to your Drupal site (ensure credentials are correctly replaced):

    curl -X POST http://your-drupal-site/entity/node \
    --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
    --header "Authorization: Bearer [your_access_token]" \
    --data '[YOUR_JSON_PAYLOAD]'
    

This command sends a POST request with the JSON payload, creating a new article node on your site.

Handling Responses

After submitting a POST request, review the response to verify content creation:

• A successful creation typically returns a 201 Created status with the URI of the new content entity in the response body.
• Use this URI for future operations, such as updating or deleting the node.

Debugging Common Issues

• 401 Unauthorized: Double-check your authentication credentials and token expiration.
• 403 Forbidden: Ensure your user role has the necessary permissions to create content.
• 404 Not Found: Verify the endpoint URL is correct and the REST configuration is active.

Conclusion

Creating content via REST endpoints in Drupal broadens the scope of integration points for your headless applications. By leveraging these features, you can build dynamic applications that easily interact with Drupal to manage content programmatically.

Preview of Next Lesson

Stay tuned for the next lesson where we will explore Updating Content via REST Endpoints. You’ll gain insights into modifying existing content programmatically and ensure continued content accuracy and relevance through your API endpoints.