Design rule for responding to REST GET API with CSV output

Question

I am writing a Spring Boot Application in which for a GET API I need to return CSV file as the response. I am looking forward to suggestions on the design of the class(es) and interface to achieve the goal.

My REST controller is as follows.

@GetMapping(value="export")
public ResponseEntity<?> exportCSV(@RequestParam("sectionTypeName") String sectionTypeName) throws Exception {
}

Overall, I need to do the following

a) Fetch the data from the database for sectionTypeName

b) Prepare CSV data

c) Prepare Header

d) Construct ResponseEntity and respond

I am thinking of creating a class for CSV something like below.

public class ResponseCSV {
    @Getter
    private String responseHeader;

    @Getter
    private String response;

    public void ResponseCSV(String fileName) {
        // prepare responseHeader string with
        // file name as value of fileName
    }

    public void setCSVHeader(String header) {
        // Add the header
    }

    public void addCSVRow(String line) {
    }
}

Next, I am planning to write an interface which fetches the data from the database and prepares the CSV.

public interface CSVExportSvc {
    public Boolean exportCSV(ResponseCSV csv, String sectionTypeName);
}

public class CSVExportSvcImpl implements CSVExportSvc {
    public Boolean exportCSV(ResponseCSV csv, String sectionTypeName) {
        // Read all the data
        // Add the header - call csv.setCSVHeader()
        // Iterate over each row and call csv.addCSVRow()
    }
}

In the Rest Controller, based on the exportCSV call, I will call ResponseEntity as follows.

return ResponseEntity.accepted().headers(csv.getresponseHeader()).body(csv.getresponse());

Is this correct approach? Any suggestions?

niemar · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-02 06:08:43Z

1

My suggestions:

Keep the ResponseCSV immutable, no setters, provide constructor !
Change the CSVExportSvc.exportCSV signature to be easier, don't return boolean:
Try to set content type to csv/text.

The interface may be like this:

public interface CSVExportSvc {
   public ResponseCSV exportCSV(String sectionTypeName);
}

answered Oct 2, 2018 at 6:08

niemar

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1 Comment

Venkata Subbarao Over a year ago

Fully agree with points 2 and 3. One clarification - Assuming that I can still have methods setCSVHeader and addCSVRow in ResponseCSV.

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