Follow REST API guidelines: snake_case JSON properties

[hjacobs]

The Catwatch API should follow the Zalando REST API guidelines, including:

• Snake-case JSON properties (i.e. use "organization_name" instead of "organizationName")

Currently the "/projects" endpoints (to name one) returns camelCase JSON properties.

[rbarilani]

Hi @hjacobs,

In my personal and humble opinion, I think this is not an issue, why? Because this is an open source project so we shouldn't force to Zalando's guide lines. Maybe an idea could be: making the format configurable.

In addition, a personal thought:

• In what programming language most of the web client applications are written today? I think we can answer Javascript.
• What JSON stay for? JavaScript Object Notation
• Which is the de-facto javascript naming convention? camelCase (native javascript use camelCase and also every popular javascript library too)

So.... well ... I was really surprised when discovered that Zalando recommends snake-case for JSON responses.

[hjacobs]

It's about consistency, and your personal opinion aside: the swagger.yaml already has partly snake_case (https://github.com/zalando/catwatch/blob/master/catwatch-api/catwatch_rest_api.yaml) ;-)

[rbarilani]

Ok... I agree about consistency. :+1:

[lasomethingsomething]

@rbarilani @hjacobs Do we need to resolve this further in any regard?

[hjacobs]

It's about following our own RESTful API guidelines, see http://zalando.github.io/restful-api-guidelines/

[Lauriapple1]

@hjacobs Yep, but there's been disagreement here on whether we should follow them or not. My suggestion is that both for's and against's (who want to have a stake in the matter) briefly describe the reasons why we should adopt said approach, and pitch their ideas to the CW dev team to decide.

[fmueller]

From Zalando point of view it'd be nice if our APIs (either business related or open source projects) are looking similar.

[rbarilani]

@LauriZalando as I already said, I agree to go with snake_case for being consistent with our guide lines. Just point out that it could be a breaking change for clients as zalando.github.io.

[lasomethingsomething]

@hjacobs @fmueller @rbarilani Seems we've achieved compromise here, no? Follow our own guidelines, and add a line in the README as per Ruben's point. If this seems right to you, just leave a thumbs-up and we can close (I wouldn't want to drag this out further, as we should be following our own guidelines in any case)