Enhance API Client: Request Count Badges For Collections

by Alex Johnson 57 views

Introduction

In this article, we'll explore a much-needed feature enhancement for API client users: adding request count badges to collection folders in the sidebar. This improvement addresses the challenge of quickly understanding the scope and organization of API collections, especially when dealing with large workspaces. Currently, users can only see the name and icon of a collection folder, which doesn't provide immediate insight into the number of requests it contains. Let's dive into the motivation, current behavior, expected behavior, and testing steps for this feature.

Motivation Behind Request Count Badges

When working with extensive API collections, understanding the structure and scope of your workspace is crucial. Currently, collection folders in the sidebar only display their name and icon, leaving users without a quick way to assess the number of requests within each folder. This lack of immediate visual feedback makes it difficult to determine which collections are actively used, which are empty, and which may require reorganization. By adding a count badge to display the number of requests in each collection, we can significantly enhance the user experience, providing instant information about collection size and activity.

Imagine a scenario where you have dozens of API collections, each containing multiple requests. Without a visual indicator of the number of requests in each folder, you'd have to manually expand each folder to get an idea of its contents. This process is time-consuming and inefficient, especially when you're trying to quickly locate a specific request or assess the overall structure of your API workspace. Request count badges offer a simple yet effective solution to this problem, allowing you to instantly see the size and scope of each collection.

Furthermore, request count badges can help with identifying potential areas for improvement in your API organization. For example, if you notice that a particular collection contains a large number of requests, it might be an indication that the collection should be further divided into smaller, more manageable sub-collections. Similarly, if you see that a collection is empty or contains only a few requests, it might be an opportunity to consolidate it with other collections or remove it altogether.

Current Behavior and Reproduction Steps

Currently, the API Client sidebar displays collection folders with only their names and icons. To see the contents, users must expand each folder individually. This behavior lacks efficiency, especially when dealing with numerous collections. Here’s how to reproduce the current behavior:

  1. Open the Scalar API Client. This assumes you have the Scalar API Client application installed and ready to use.
  2. Create multiple collections with varying numbers of requests. For example, create one collection with a single request, another with two requests, and a third that is entirely empty. This diversity will help illustrate the issue more clearly.
  3. Look at the sidebar where collections are listed. This is the main area where your collections are organized and displayed within the API Client.
  4. Observe: Only collection names and icons are visible. As you examine the sidebar, you'll notice that each collection is represented solely by its name and a corresponding icon.
  5. Note: There is no visual indicator of how many requests each collection contains. This is the core problem. Without any visual cues, it's impossible to quickly assess the size or content of each collection.

This current behavior forces users to manually click and expand each collection folder to understand its contents, creating a cumbersome and time-consuming experience, particularly when managing a large number of collections. This inefficiency is what the new feature aims to resolve.

Expected Behavior and Acceptance Criteria

The goal is to enhance the API Client sidebar by displaying a small badge next to each collection folder, indicating the number of requests it contains. This badge should provide immediate visual feedback without being overwhelming.

The expected behavior includes the following key aspects:

  • Request Count Display: Each collection folder in the sidebar should display a small badge indicating the number of requests it contains. This badge should be positioned near the collection name for easy visibility.
  • Accuracy: The count displayed in the badge should accurately reflect the total number of requests within the collection, including those in nested folders.
  • Dynamic Updates: The badge should update dynamically as requests are added or removed from the collection. This ensures that the count is always up-to-date and reflects the current state of the collection.
  • Consistent Styling: The badge styling should align with the application's existing design system, ensuring a cohesive and visually appealing user interface.
  • Handling Empty Collections: Empty collections (those with zero requests) should either display no badge at all or show a "0" badge, depending on the preferred UX design.

Acceptance Criteria:

These criteria serve as the benchmarks to determine whether the feature has been successfully implemented.

  • [ ] A badge displaying the request count appears next to each collection name in the sidebar.
  • [ ] The count accurately reflects the total number of requests in the collection (including nested folders).
  • [ ] The badge updates dynamically when requests are added or removed.
  • [ ] The badge styling is consistent with the application's design system.
  • [ ] Empty collections either show no badge

Steps to Test the New Feature

To ensure the request count badge feature works as expected, follow these testing steps:

  1. Start the API Client: Begin by running the API Client using the command pnpm dev:client. This command initiates the client in development mode.
  2. Create a New Collection: Once the client is running, create a new collection within the API Client interface. This will serve as the primary test subject.
  3. Add Requests to the Collection: Add between three to five requests to the newly created collection. This number allows for easy verification of the count.
  4. Verify the Badge Appears: Check that a badge appears next to the collection name in the sidebar. This badge should display the correct number of requests you added in the previous step.
  5. Increment the Request Count: Add another request to the collection. Verify that the badge updates and increments the count accordingly. This step confirms the dynamic updating capability.
  6. Decrement the Request Count: Delete one of the requests from the collection. Ensure that the badge decrements the count to reflect the change. This further validates the dynamic updating feature.
  7. Test Nested Folders: Create a collection with nested folders. Add requests within these nested folders. Verify that the badge on the parent collection accurately reflects the total number of requests, including those in the nested folders. This checks for correct aggregation across the collection hierarchy.
  8. Test Empty Collection: Create an empty collection with no requests. Confirm that either no badge is displayed, or a badge with a count of "0" is shown, depending on the specified UX design.

Conclusion

Adding request count badges to collection folders in the API Client sidebar is a valuable enhancement that improves user experience and workflow efficiency. By providing immediate visual feedback on collection sizes, users can quickly assess their workspace, identify areas for reorganization, and locate specific requests more easily. The implementation of this feature, along with thorough testing, ensures a more intuitive and productive API development environment.

For more information on API development best practices, consider exploring resources like the Postman Learning Center.