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Discover how to effectively hide certain properties in Swagger for request examples while keeping them visible in server responses, ensuring your `API` documentation is clear and user-friendly.
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How to Exclude Properties from Swagger Request Examples in Java API Documentation

When developing APIs, clear documentation is crucial for helping users understand how to interact with your services. However, it can sometimes get tricky if you have properties in your Data Transfer Objects (DTOs) that the client does not need to fill out. For instance, properties like id or creationDate are generated by the server and should not appear in the request examples shown by Swagger. This can potentially confuse users, leading to usability issues.

In this guide, we'll explore a straightforward solution to ensure that certain properties are hidden from request examples but still visible in the server responses. Let’s dive in!

The Problem

When using Swagger for API documentation, any property included in a DTO will be visible in both request and response examples. This can be problematic when certain fields, such as id and creationDate, should not be part of the client's input but are essential in the output from the server.

Using the @ ApiModelProperty(hidden = true) annotation can make these fields disappear entirely from both requests and responses, which is not the desired outcome. You want these fields to be visible to users when they view the response but hidden from the initial request examples.

The Solution

Fortunately, there is a simple way to address this issue using the @ ApiModelProperty(readOnly = true) annotation. Here’s how it works:

Step-by-Step Guide

Import the Annotation:
Ensure you have imported the relevant Swagger annotations in your DTO class. Specifically, you need import io.swagger.annotations.ApiModelProperty;.

Annotate Read-Only Properties:
Apply the @ ApiModelProperty(readOnly = true) annotation to the properties you want to exclude from the request example. This will hide them from the request but keep them visible for the server’s response.

Here’s an example:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Test Your API Documentation:
After you make these changes, regenerate your Swagger documentation. You should see that the id field is no longer visible in the request example but remains in the response.

Benefits of Using readOnly

Clarity for Users: Hiding fields that users should not populate reduces confusion and improves the user experience.

Clear Separation of Concerns: It distinguishes between fields that are user-supplied versus those that are server-controlled.

Simplicity: The approach requires minimal changes to your existing DTO structure.

Conclusion

By utilizing the @ ApiModelProperty(readOnly = true) annotation, you can impose a clean structure on your API documentation, making it easier for users to understand what they need to provide in their requests. This is a small but significant step towards ensuring that your API is user-friendly and your documentation is effective.

If you have further questions about API documentation or Swagger, feel free to leave a comment below!