API Change notification done right - MongoLab

Dear MongoLab customer,

If you're using our REST API, you need to be aware of an impending change to the way we treat the Content-Type Header that *may* require code changes from existing applications.

We are making this change to improve the experience of working with our REST API, specifically by detecting and providing feedback in a very common failure scenario. The change we are making is to require a corresponding Content-Type header (set to "application/json") for any request that takes a body. Previously, we had a more relaxed policy that would try to handle requests regardless of the Content-Type that was set.  Unfortunately, this can fail silently and leave the developer in a very confusing situation that can take a while to resolve.

What:
* Stricter enforcement of the Content-Type header in MongoLab's REST API; code changes possibly required

Applies to:
* MongoLab REST API users that have not set the Content-Type header to "application/json" for existing requests with bodies (most commonly PUT and POST requests)

When:
* Saturday October 29 at 11 pm pacific (October 30 at 2 am eastern)

Required change:
* Set Content-Type header to "application/json" for any request that takes a body (most commonly PUT and POST requests)
* See below for a jQuery example; many more examples at http://support.mongolab.com/entries/20433053-rest-api-for-mongodb)

Details:
* MongoLab's REST API will now require a corresponding Content-Type header (set to "application/json") for any request that takes a body
* Any request without a Content-Type header or with a Content-Type header that is not set to "application/json" will generate a 415 Unsupported Media Type response (http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec10.html)

Testing your code:
* If you supply an additional header Content-Type-Enforcement (set to "strict"), you can effectively "turn on" the new behavior and test your code prior to when we make this change
* See example below

As always, please don't hesitate to let us know at support@mongolab.com if you have any questions... and thank you for using MongoLab!

All the Best,
The MongoLab Team

http://mongolab.com
twitter: @mongolab

###########################################################################
# Example of POST request using jQuery
###########################################################################

$.ajax( { url: "https://mongolab.com/api/1/databases/my-db/collections/my-coll?apiKey=1234",
         data: JSON.stringify( { "x" : 1 } ),
         type: "POST",
         contentType: "application/json" } );

###########################################################################
# Test your code prior to the change date using the "Content-Type Enforcement" header
###########################################################################

REQUEST:

    POST https://mongolab.com/api/1/databases/my-db/collections/my-coll?apiKey=1234 HTTP/1.1
    Content-Type-Enforcement: strict
    Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

    { "bowTiesAreCool" : true }

RESPONSE:

    HTTP/1.1 415 Unsupported Media Type
    Server: Apache-Coyote/1.1
    Content-Type: application/json;charset=utf-8
    Transfer-Encoding: chunked
    Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:08:07 GMT

   { "message" : "Unexpected Content-Type 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded', expecting 'application/json'." }