JSON API: Correct way to show links? - specifications

Question

I made a JSON API using Laravel with Laravel 5 JSON API Transformer package which was listed on jsonapi.org
For now, everything works as expected, a sample response from my api is like (btw the validation failed so i took a look at the jsonapi specs):
{
"data": [
{
"type": "inventory",
"id": "INV0001",
"attributes": {
"inv_inventory_id": "INV0001",
"inv_owner_company_id": 1,
"inv_owner_department_id": 1,
"inv_user_department_id": 1,
"inv_user_worker_id": 1,
"title": "Schreibtisch"
},
"links": {
"self": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/inventory/INV0001"
},
"user": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/worker/1"
},
"owner_dept": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/department/1"
},
"owner_comp": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/company/1"
}
},
"relationships": {
"worker": {
"data": {
"type": "worker",
"id": "1"
}
},
"department": {
"data": {
"type": "department",
"id": "1"
}
},
"company": {
"data": {
"type": "company",
"id": "1"
}
}
}
}
],
"included": [
{
"type": "worker",
"id": "1",
"attributes": {
"wrk_forename": "Moritz",
"wrk_surname": "ASDF",
"wrk_department_id": 2,
"wrk_homeoffice": true,
"wrk_room_id": 1
},
"links": {
"self": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/worker/1"
},
"hardware": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/worker/1/hardware"
},
"software": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/worker/1/software"
},
"inventory": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/worker/1/inventory"
},
"accessory": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/worker/1/accessory"
}
}
},
{
"type": "department",
"id": "1",
"attributes": {
"department": "Entwicklung",
"dept_floor_id": 3
},
"links": {
"self": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/department/1"
},
"floor": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/floor/3"
},
"hardware": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/department/1/hardware"
},
"software": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/department/1/software"
},
"inventory": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/department/1/inventory"
},
"accessory": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/department/1/accessory"
}
}
},
{
"type": "company",
"id": "1",
"attributes": {
"company": "GermanPersonnel",
"com_building_id": 1
},
"links": {
"self": {
"href": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/company/1"
}
}
}
],
"links": {
"self": {
"url": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/inventory?page[number]=1&page[size]=10"
},
"first": {
"url": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/inventory?page[number]=1&page[size]=10"
},
"last": {
"url": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/inventory?page[number]=1&page[size]=10"
}
},
"meta": {
"page": {
"total": 1,
"last": 1,
"number": 1,
"size": 10
}
},
"jsonapi": {
"version": "1.0"
}
}
But according to the specifications on jsonapi.org a link should look like
"links": {
"self": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v2/inventory/INV0001"
},
My question is:
Is it legit to display a link like in my sample ouput as an object
with "href"? I'm pretty confused, because the package i used was
listed on jsonapi.org, but seems not to meet the specs.
BTW: My English might be a little bit confusing, but i hope i descriped my problem as well as possible

Answer 1

This is actually valid JSON API output base on the specification,
http://jsonapi.org/format/#document-links
Where specified, a links member can be used to represent links. The value of each links member MUST be an object (a “links object”).
A Valid Sample From Specification
"links": {
"related": {
"href": "http://example.com/articles/1/comments",
"meta": {
"count": 10
}
}
}
Each member of a links object is a “link”. A link MUST be represented as either:
a string containing the link’s URL.
an object (“link object”) which can contain the following members:
href: a string containing the link’s URL.
meta: a meta object containing non-standard meta-information about the link.
Therefore, your output is actually valid.