Difference between query parameters and URI parameters in MuleSoft

Difference between query parameters and URI parameters in MuleSoft Watch now

Query parameters

·         Appended to the end of the endpoint URL, after a question mark (?)

·         Typically used to pass optional parameters to an endpoint

·         Examples:

o    /api/users?name=John&age=30

o    /api/products?search=book&category=fiction

·         Accessed using the queryParam expression in MuleSoft

URI parameters

·         Embedded in the endpoint URL, surrounded by curly braces ({})

·         Typically used to pass required parameters to an endpoint

·         Examples:

o    /api/users/{id}

o    /api/products/{product_id}

·         Accessed using the pathParam expression in MuleSoft

Feature	Query parameters	URI parameters
Location	Appended to the end of the endpoint URL	Embedded in the endpoint URL
Purpose	Typically used to pass optional parameters to an endpoint	Typically used to pass required parameters to an endpoint
Examples	/api/users?name=John&age=30, /api/products?search=book&category=fiction	/api/users/{id}, /api/products/{product_id}
Access in MuleSoft	Accessed using the queryParam expression	Accessed using the pathParam expression

When to use query parameters

·         To pass optional parameters to an endpoint

·         To pass a large number of parameters to an endpoint

·         To make your code more readable and maintainable

When to use URI parameters

·         To pass required parameters to an endpoint

·         To make your endpoint URL more specific and descriptive

·         To improve the performance of your API

Note: You can also use both query parameters and URI parameters in the same endpoint URL. For example:

 

GET /api/users/{id}?name={name}

This endpoint URL accepts both the id and name parameters. The id parameter is required, and the name parameter is optional.

Conclusion

Query parameters and URI parameters are both powerful tools for passing data to API endpoints. The best way to decide which type of parameter to use is to consider the specific needs of your API.