[Freeipa-devel] [PATCH] 886-890 webui: API browser

[Martin Kosek]

On 06/30/2015 06:35 PM, Petr Vobornik wrote:
> First part of API Browser - displaying the metadata in more consumable way.
> 
> Second part, how to use it in different languages will be written as wiki pages
> first.
> 
> The browser could be later enhanced with more infos and tooltips.
> 
> Patch 886 extends backend to send more metadata.
> Patch 887,888,889 are webui fixes and prerequisites
> Patch 890 is the API browser

Thanks, this is a very good start. I looked at a VM with the patches and have
couple usability suggestions:

1) It was hard for me to find where the API Browser is. But "IPA Server" looks
as a good tab where it should be though.

2) I have strong doubts about the "Objects" tab, this is only understandable to
users knowledgeable about FreeIPA framework internals. Common API user who just
want to consume the API and not know about the internals will not know what
this is.

What I would do is make "API Browser" directly clickable so that it opens the
Commands tab. This is what most people will use. Other tabs may be stacked on
the left just like with Staged or Deleted users. For now, I would hide Objects
as I think it would cause more confusion. If we want to show it, there should
be some introduction what it is good for and maybe limitation of showed fields
to only those that has any value for the consumers.

3) In Commands tab, we will some more explanatory what the attributes of Param
needs and probably hide some. For example "exclude" is not needed for consumers.

4) Many attributes have "autofill": True. I wonder how usable it is without
knowing the actual default for the attribute. Can we show the default?

5) I would hide "Output Params" all together given we don't have them set up
correctly in FreeIPA framework and they may rather confuse people, with having
all the HBAC or SUDO with User objects.


I may think about it more, there were just my couple first thoughts. Others may
have different opinions here.

Martin