API Routes

Overview

API Routes (app/api/**/route.ts) are used for:

1. External service integration (Directus, Redis)
2. Proxy endpoints (keeping credentials server-side)
3. Special operations (invitations, webhooks)

Implementation Pattern

// app/api/essearch/route.ts
import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
import { createDirectus, rest, authentication } from "@directus/sdk";

export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
  try {
    const body = await req.json();
    const { firstName, lastName, ... } = body.params;
    
    // Authenticate with Directus
    const client = createDirectus(directusUrl)
      .with(authentication("json"))
      .with(rest());
    
    await client.login(email, password);
    const token = await client.getToken();
    
    // Call external service
    const response = await fetch(`${directusUrl}/essearch/validation`, {
      method: "POST",
      headers: {
        Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({ firstName, lastName, ... }),
    });
    
    const data = await response.json();
    return NextResponse.json({
      persons: data.hits || [],
      totalHits: data.total?.value,
    });
  } catch (error) {
    return NextResponse.json(
      { error: error.message },
      { status: 500 }
    );
  }
}

API Route Categories

1. Voter Search APIs

/api/essearch - Dynamic credentials

• Accepts credentials in request body
• Uses environment variables based on emailKey, passwordKey, endpointKey
• Token caching in HTTP-only cookies

/api/essearch-common - Fixed credentials

• Uses DIRECTUS_API_EMAIL_SEARCH, DIRECTUS_API_PASSWORD_SEARCH, DIRECTUS_URL_SEARCH
• Simpler for common search operations

2. Duplicate Detection API

/api/duplicate

// app/api/duplicate/route.ts
export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
  const { campaignId, voterId } = await req.json();
  
  const client = await getRedisConnection();
  const exists = await client.sIsMember(
    `campaign:${campaignId}:signers`,
    voterId
  );
  
  return NextResponse.json({ exists: Boolean(exists) });
}

Features:

• Redis set membership check
• Fast duplicate detection
• Connection pooling and error handling

3. Team Invitation API

/api/invite-team-member

• Uses Supabase service role key
• Creates user invitation
• Invokes Supabase Edge Function for email

API Route vs Server Action

Feature	API Route	Server Action
URL	/api/endpoint	No URL (direct function call)
Use Case	External services, webhooks	Form mutations, CRUD
Calling	fetch('/api/endpoint')	Direct function import
Type Safety	Manual typing	Full TypeScript support
Form Integration	Requires form handling	Direct form action

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