Parameters and Payloads: Speaking REST in FlexVertex

In REST APIs, every request tells a story — what data you want, and what you want done with it. FlexVertex’s REST interface follows that pattern but makes the boundary between parameters and payloads explicit, giving developers predictable, efficient control over their data interactions.

Why It Matters

Parameters and payloads aren’t interchangeable; each has a distinct purpose.
Parameters narrow the lens — filtering or selecting existing data with precision.
Payloads build or reshape the world — defining new objects, relationships, or updates.
Understanding which to use is key to efficient queries, fewer round-trips, and cleaner integrations.

Parameters vs. Payloads in Practice

A parameter-based request filters or identifies data:

GET /rest/schema/sql?query=select * from Person where Income>100000

This call retrieves existing objects; no request body needed.

A payload-based request, by contrast, defines new data:

POST /rest/schema/createObject
{
  "class": "Destination",
  "properties": {"Location": "Denali", "Type": "Mountain"}
}

The payload is the body — a structured JSON object FlexVertex uses to create or modify data.

Parameters are concise and URL-bound. Payloads are rich, hierarchical, and unlimited in complexity — ideal for creating entire object graphs or AI-ready datasets in a single call.

Takeaway

Parameters ask questions; payloads tell stories.
Used correctly, they form the foundation of clean, scalable interactions between applications and the FlexVertex data universe.

Takeaway

Read the full article in our Technical Visions documentation.