Question

How can I return Restlet response in desired format?
I am using the method:

@Get ("json")
public Address sendResponse(){
    Address add = getAddress();
    return add;
}

Right now I have to explicitly convert java object to a json string as a response to browser. Can’t it be taken care by Restlet framework itself?

Spring MVC’s Restful implementation can do it. I am looking similar implementation in Restlet too.

Answer 1

In fact, there are two ways to do that with Restlet:

• the explicit one using JSON representations. The JSONRepresentation if you use objects from org.json or the JacksonRepresentation if you want JSON / Object mapping. You can find below an example:

  @Get ("json")
  public Representation sendResponse(){
      Address add = getAddress();
      return new JacksonRepresentation<Address>(address);
  }
  

• the implicit one using converter. In this case, it’s the code you gave. You must have in your classpath an appropriate converter such as the one provided by the org.restlet.ext.jackson extension. It will detect that a JSON content needs to be returned and implicitly convert your Address object to a JSON content.

Just for hint, the json media specified in the GET annotation tells Restlet to use the associated method to handle the request when application/json is defined for conneg (content negociation) with the accept header.

Hope it helps you.
Thierry