Create a REST API to operate dynamodb with the Django REST Framework

Introduction

Create an api that operates on AWS DynamoDB with django REST Framework and boto3. Enable GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE operations.

Dynamodb table creation (preparation)

Prepare the following table in advance and put some data in it. Table name: Fruits hash key: Name

Create a django project

Create django project (dynamo_operation) and app (api)

$ django-admin startproject dynamo_operation
$ cd dynamo_operation/
$ django-admin startapp api 

Edit setting.py

Add rest_framework and ʻapp config created earlier to setting.py`.

dynamo_operation/setting.py

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
    'rest_framework', #add to
    'api.apps.ApiConfig', #add to
]

Create model for DynamoDB request

In django, prepare model for DB creation and operation. Since the request to DynamoDB uses boto3, model is not necessary, but this time we preparedmodel (dynamo_model.py).

api/dynamo_model.py

class Fruit():
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

Edit views.py

api/views.py

from rest_framework import status
from rest_framework.views import APIView
from rest_framework.response import Response 
from api.dynamo_models import Fruit
from boto3 import client

dynamodb_client = client('dynamodb')

class DynamoRequest(APIView):
    #Whole GET
    def get(self, request):
        response = []
        items = dynamodb_client.scan(TableName='Fruits')['Items']
        for item in items:
            fruit = Fruit(item['Name']['S'])
            fruit.price = item.get('Price',{}).get('N', '')
            response.append(fruit.__dict__)
        return Response(response)
    
    def post(self, request):
        request_data = request.data
        item = {'Name': {'S': request_data['Name']}}

        if 'Price' in request_data:
            item['Price'] = {'N': request_data['Price']}

        dynamodb_client.put_item(
            TableName = 'Fruits',
            Item = item
        )
        return Response(status=status.HTTP_201_CREATED)


class DynamoDetailRequest(APIView):
    #Single GET
    def get(self, request, pk):
        item = dynamodb_client.get_item(
            TableName = 'Fruits',
            Key = {
                'Name': {'S': pk},
            }
        )['Item']
        fruit = Fruit(item['Name']['S'])
        fruit.price = item.get('Price',{}).get('N', '')
        return Response(fruit.__dict__)
    
    def put(self, request, pk):
        request_data = request.data

        item = dynamodb_client.get_item(
            TableName = 'Fruits',
            Key = {
                'Name': {'S': pk},
            }
        )['Item']

        price = item.get('Price',{}).get('N', '0')

        if 'Price' in request_data:
            price = request_data['Price']

        dynamodb_client.put_item(
            TableName = 'Fruits',
            Item = {
                'Name': {'S': item['Name']['S']},
                'Price': {'N': price}
            }
        )
        return Response(status=status.HTTP_200_OK)
    
    def delete(self, request, pk):
        dynamodb_client.delete_item(
            TableName = 'Fruits',
            Key = {
                'Name': {'S': pk},
            }
        )
        return Response(status=status.HTTP_204_NO_CONTENT)

Process the request with class which inherits ʻAPIView of rest_framework. DynamoRequest handles the request without the path parameter, andDynamoDetailRequest handles the request with the path parameter (pk). By inheriting ʻAPIView, it is possible to add the process corresponding to each method by preparing a function for each HTTP method.

Editing urls.py

api/urls.py

from django.urls import path
from api import views

urlpatterns = [
    path('api/', views.DynamoRequest.as_view()),
    path('api/<pk>/', views.DynamoDetailRequest.as_view())
]

Also edit ʻurls.py in the dynamo_opration` folder

dynamo_opration/urls.py

from django.urls import path, include

urlpatterns = [
    path('', include('api.urls')),
]

Check the operation with the curl command

start server

$ python manage.py runserver

GET (whole search)

$ curl http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/

#response
[{"name":"orange","price":"200"},{"name":"banana","price":"100"},{"name":"apple","price":"100"}]

POST

$ curl -X POST \
  -H 'Content-Type:application/json' \
  -d '{"Name": "peach", "Price": "400"}' \
  http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/

Table after POST request

The peach item has been added.

GET (single)

Get apple item

$ curl http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/apple/

#response
{"name":"apple","price":"100"}

PUT Change apple price from 100-> 200

$ curl -X PUT \
  -H 'Content-Type:application/json' \
  -d '{"Price": "200"}' \
  http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/apple/

Table after PUT request

DELETE Delete the peach item.

$ curl -X DELETE http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/peach/

Table after DELETE request

in conclusion

I created a REST API to operate DynamoDB with django REST Framework + boto3. This time, I prepared dynamodb_model.py to manage the model, but it may not have been necessary (I would like to improve the design around here in the future).