Build a Dart REST API with Shelf

Building a REST API

Dart REST API with Shelf handles CRUD with JSON responses.

Introduction to Shelf Package

The Shelf package in Dart is a web server middleware for handling HTTP requests and responses. It is highly customizable and often used to create RESTful APIs. With Shelf, you can easily manage CRUD operations and return JSON responses to clients.

Setting Up Your Dart Environment

Before building a REST API with Shelf, ensure that your Dart environment is set up. You need to have Dart installed on your system. If you haven't installed Dart yet, follow the instructions on the official Dart website.

Creating a Simple Dart REST API

To start building a REST API using Shelf, you'll first need to create a new Dart project and add the Shelf package as a dependency. Here's how to do it:

Writing Your First Handler

The heart of a Shelf application is its handlers. These functions receive HTTP requests and return responses. Let's write a basic handler that returns a JSON response:

CRUD Operations with Shelf

CRUD operations are fundamental to any REST API. Let's explore how to implement these operations using Shelf:

Running Your Dart REST API

After setting up your handlers, you can run your Dart application to start the server and test your API endpoints. Make sure to handle different HTTP methods appropriately and test each CRUD operation.

Dart REST API