Update a user: a tutorial

This tutorial should take you about 25 minutes to complete.

Also see the API reference pages:

Before you begin

Make sure you’ve set up your environment.
Start the Orca Sightings service with json-server.

How to update the full user entry

Use the PUT method to update a full user entry.

Step 1: list all users to find the `id` of the user you want to update

You can use cURL or Postman to submit a PUT request.

To use cURL:

Open a new terminal window.
List all users. Notice the user entry with an id of 4.
Include that information in a cURL request, changing the first name to Ken and the email to ken.mccormick@gmail.com:

curl -X PUT \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{ "last_name": "McCormick", "first_name": "Ken", "email": "ken.mccormick@gmail.com" }' \
     http://localhost:3000/users/4

In the cURL command, -X denotes the method to use, -H indicates the header to use, and -d specifies the data to include.

Do I need to include the id jn a PUT request, or only include it in the endpoint?

To use Postman:

Open Postman.
List all users.
In the this example, you’ll choose Kenny McCormick. Notice that this user has an id of 4. You’ll use that value later on.

[
    {
        "last_name": "Marsh",
        "first_name": "Stan",
        "email": "stan.marsh@gmail.com",
        "id": 1
    },
    {
        "last_name": "Broflovski",
        "first_name": "Kyle",
        "email": "kyle.broflovski@yahoo.com",
        "id": 2
    },
    {
        "last_name": "Cartman",
        "first_name": "Eric",
        "email": "eric.cartman@hotmail.com",
        "id": 3
    },
    {
        "last_name": "McCormick",
        "first_name": "Kenny",
        "email": "kenny.mccormick@gmail.com",
        "id": 4
    }
]

Step 2: replace the entire entry using the PUT method

In Postman’s main panel on the right, toward the top, select PUT.
Add the following content to the URL text box next to PUT: http://localhost:3000/users/4. This indicates that you’ll replace the information for the user that has an ID of 4.
If you don’t already have the header designated, choose Headers and specify Content-Type: application/json.
Choose Body and specify Raw.
Copy the following example code that changes the name Kenny to Ken in the first_name and email properties. Paste this into Postman’s Body text box.

{
   "last_name": "McCormick",
   "first_name": "Ken",
   "email": "ken.mccormick@gmail.com"
}

Notice that you don’t need the ID. Enter it in Postman’s URL parameters. You must remove the trailing comma in the last key-value pair.

Notice that the response includes the entire entry details with the ID.

{
  "last_name": "McCormick",
  "first_name": "Ken",
  "email": "ken.mccormick@gmail.com",
  "id": 4
}

How to update only part of the entry

Update just a part of the user entry using the PATCH method. We’ll choose the user with an id of 1 to update.

To use cURL:

Send a request using cURL with the following command:

curl -X PATCH \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{ "email": "stan@example.com" }' \
     http://localhost:3000/users/1

Notice that the response includes the entire entry details with the updated email.

{
    "last_name": "Marsh",
    "first_name": "Stan",
    "email": "stan@example.com",
    "id": 1
}