API routes in Laravel - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to define a GET API route that returns a welcome message.

Laravel

Route::[1]('/welcome', function () {
    return response()->json(['message' => 'Welcome to the API']);
});

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aget

Bpost

Cput

Ddelete

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using POST instead of GET for fetching data.

Confusing HTTP methods.

The GET method is used to retrieve data from the server. Here, Route::get defines a route that responds to GET requests.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to define a POST API route that calls the UserController's store method.

Laravel

Route::[1]('/users', [UserController::class, 'store']);

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Apost

Bget

Cput

Ddelete

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using GET instead of POST for creating data.

Mixing up controller method names.

POST method is used to send data to the server to create a new resource. Here, the route calls the store method to add a new user.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the route definition to correctly define a route that updates a user by ID using PUT method.

Laravel

Route::[1]('/users/{id}', [UserController::class, 'update']);

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Apost

Bget

Cdelete

Dput

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using POST instead of PUT for updating data.

Forgetting to include the {id} parameter in the route.

PUT method is used to update existing resources. The route uses PUT to update a user by their ID.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to define a route group with middleware 'auth:sanctum'.

Laravel

Route::[1](['middleware' => '[2]'], function () {
    // API routes here
});

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Agroup

Bget

Cauth:sanctum

Dapi

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using Route::get instead of Route::group for grouping.

Incorrect middleware name.

Route::group defines a group of routes with shared attributes. Here, the middleware 'auth:sanctum' protects the routes inside the group.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to define a resource route for 'posts' using PostController with only 'index' and 'show' methods.

Laravel

Route::resource('posts', PostController::class)->only(['[1]', '[2]']);

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Astore

Bindex

Cshow

Dupdate

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Including methods like 'store' or 'update' when only 'index' and 'show' are needed.

Misspelling method names.

The resource route defines routes for controller methods. Using only(['index', 'show']) limits routes to listing and showing posts.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of defining API routes in Laravel's routes/api.php file?

easy

A. To configure middleware for user authentication

B. To define web page routes that return HTML views

C. To store database connection settings

D. To handle requests from other apps or devices and return JSON responses

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of API routes

   API routes are designed to handle requests from external apps or devices, not for web pages.

2. Step 2: Identify the correct file and response type

   In Laravel, API routes are placed in routes/api.php and usually return JSON data.

3. Final Answer:

   To handle requests from other apps or devices and return JSON responses -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   API routes = handle external requests + JSON [OK]

Hint: API routes handle external requests and return JSON [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing API routes with web routes that return HTML
• Thinking API routes are for database settings
• Assuming API routes are only for middleware

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to define a GET API route in Laravel that returns a JSON message "Hello World"?

easy

A. Route::get('/hello', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Hello World']); });

B. Route::post('/hello', function () { return 'Hello World'; });

C. Route::get('/hello', function () { return view('hello'); });

D. Route::put('/hello', function () { return response('Hello World'); });

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the HTTP verb and response type

   The question asks for a GET route that returns JSON data.

2. Step 2: Check each option's method and return

   Route::get('/hello', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Hello World']); }); uses GET and returns JSON with response()->json(), which is correct. Others use wrong verbs or return types.

3. Final Answer:

   Route::get('/hello', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Hello World']); }); -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   GET + JSON response = Route::get('/hello', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Hello World']); }); [OK]

Hint: GET routes return JSON with response()->json() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using POST or PUT instead of GET
• Returning plain strings instead of JSON
• Returning views in API routes

3. Given this API route in routes/api.php:

Route::post('/user', function (Illuminate\Http\Request $request) {
    return ['name' => $request->input('name'), 'age' => $request->input('age')];
});

What will be the JSON response if a POST request sends {"name": "Alice", "age": 30}?

medium

A. An error because input() is not valid

B. {"name": null, "age": null}

C. {"name": "Alice", "age": 30}

D. Empty response

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the route and request handling

   The route accepts a POST request and reads 'name' and 'age' from the request input.

2. Step 2: Analyze the input data and response

   The POST request sends JSON with 'name' as "Alice" and 'age' as 30, so the route returns these values as JSON.

3. Final Answer:

   {"name": "Alice", "age": 30} -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   POST input data returned as JSON = {"name": "Alice", "age": 30} [OK]

Hint: POST data accessed by input() returns JSON response [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming input() won't read JSON body
• Expecting null values if input keys missing
• Confusing GET and POST request handling

4. What is wrong with this API route definition?

Route::get('/data', function () {
    return response('Data');
});

medium

A. It should return JSON, not plain text, for API routes

B. The HTTP verb GET is not allowed in API routes

C. The route path must start with /api/

D. The closure must accept a Request parameter

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the response type for API routes

   API routes should return JSON data, but this returns plain text with response('Data').

2. Step 2: Verify HTTP verb and route path

   GET is allowed, and route paths don't need to start with /api/ because the file already scopes them.

3. Final Answer:

   It should return JSON, not plain text, for API routes -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   API routes expect JSON responses [OK]

Hint: API routes should return JSON, not plain text [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking GET is disallowed in API routes
• Believing route paths must start with /api/
• Assuming Request parameter is mandatory

5. You want to create an API route that accepts a user ID in the URL and returns JSON with the user's name. Which of these route definitions correctly achieves this?

hard

A. Route::post('/user', function ($id) { return ['name' => 'User ' . $id]; });

B. Route::get('/user/{id}', function ($id) { return ['name' => 'User ' . $id]; });

C. Route::get('/user', function (Request $request) { return ['name' => 'User ' . $request->id]; });

D. Route::get('/user/{id}', function () { return ['name' => 'User']; });

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify route with URL parameter

   The route must accept a user ID in the URL, so it needs a parameter like {id} in the path.

2. Step 2: Check function parameters and response

   Route::get('/user/{id}', function ($id) { return ['name' => 'User ' . $id]; }); correctly uses $id parameter and returns JSON with the user's name including the ID.

3. Final Answer:

   Route::get('/user/{id}', function ($id) { return ['name' => 'User ' . $id]; }); -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   URL param {id} passed as $id = Route::get('/user/{id}', function ($id) { return ['name' => 'User ' . $id]; }); [OK]

Hint: Use {id} in route and accept $id in closure [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using POST instead of GET for URL params
• Not including {id} in route path
• Not accepting $id parameter in closure