JSON:API (default)

Grabkit defaults to JSON:API serialisation. You work with flat resource objects; the library handles envelopes on the wire.

Reads

A JSON:API document is denormalised into the success data slot:

• Top-level id, type, and attributes on one object
• Related resources merged under relationship keys (for example favourite_games: [{ id, type, title, … }])
• Collections become an array of denormalised resources

const grab = grabkit('https://api.example.com');
const [data, error, meta] = await grab('GET /users/1');

if (error) return;

// data is a flat resource, not { data: { type, attributes } }
console.log(data.id, data.name);

When the response includes JSON:API top-level meta or links, they appear on the success meta object alongside statusCode. included is folded into data, not repeated in meta.

Writes

Pass the same flat shape you expect on read. Grabkit wraps it for the wire.

await grab('POST /users', {
  body: { type: 'users', name: 'Leo' },
});

type is required on write bodies in JSON:API mode. Omitting it throws GrabkitValidationError before the request is sent.

JSON:API headers

By default, JSON:API mode sends Content-Type: application/vnd.api+json and Accept: application/vnd.api+json. Disable per factory or per call with jsonApiHeaders: false when your server expects plain application/json but still returns JSON:API bodies.

Opt out for plain JSON

Backends like GitHub are not JSON:API. See Plain JSON.