Petition
This document defines the Petition resource.
Petitions represent an action directed at a target that a user may sign by submitting their information. Petitions have fields to describe them such as names, titles, summaries, and descriptions, and when activists submit a petition, Signature resources are created representing the individual signature an activist made on that petition.
Sections
Endpoints and URL structures
OSDI does not specify specific endpoints and link structures for compliant systems to use. Rather, because OSDI is a HAL+JSON API, endpoints and structures are defined in the links section of each returned resource, starting with the API Entry Point link.
HAL’s link structure lets an API consumer move through API levels, resources, and collections by parsing and following links. While most systems will not change the value of their links often and obey RESTful design principles, the value of each link when that resource is retrieved is the only canonical value, and it can change at any time.
The link relation label for a Petition resource is osdi:petition for a single Petition resource or osdi:petitions for a collection of Petition resources.
Fields
The field names for this resource, with standard names, punctuation and capitalization, and values where appropriate.
Note: As with the entire OSDI specification, the specific fields a compliant system implements will vary between each system, as will the fields each system requires when creating or updating resources, which fields are writeable, and the operations you are allowed to perform on each resource.
Common Fields
A set of common fields that appear on all resources is included first, for reference.
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| identifiers | strings[] | A unique string array of identifiers in the format [system name]:[id]. See the general concepts document for more information about identifiers. |
| created_date | datetime | A read-only property representing the date and time the resource was created on the local system. |
| modified_date | datetime | A read-only property representing the date and time the resource was last modified on the local system. |
Control Headers
An “osdi:control” JSON object may contain common OSDI control headers which can be used on an OSDI POST, PUT, PATCH, Helper or other function calls to modify server behavior. Read More
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| return_response | boolean | Defaults to true, if specified as false, the operation does not need to return the resource representation in the response |
Petition Fields
A list of fields specific to the Petition resource.
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| origin_system | string | A human readable identifier of the system where this petition was created. (ex: “OSDI System”) |
| name | string | The name of the petition. Intended for administrative display rather than a public title, though may be shown to a user. |
| title | string | The title of the petition. Intended for public display rather than administrative purposes. |
| description | string | A description of the petition, usually displayed publicly. May contain text and/or HTML. |
| summary | string | A text-only single paragraph summarizing the petition. Shown on listing pages that have more than titles, but not enough room for full description. |
| petition_text | string | The text of the petition letter to the target. |
| browser_url | string | A URL string pointing to the publicly available petition page on the web. |
| administrative_url | string | A URL string pointing to the petition’s administrative page on the web. |
| featured_image_url | string | A URL string pointing to a publicly available featured image file for this petition on the web. |
| total_signatures | integer | A read-only computed property representing the current count of the total number of signatures on the petition. |
| target | Targets[] | An array of target object hashes associated with this petition. |
| share_url | string | A URL string pointing to the page that will be shared when this content is shared. (This may be subsumed by a particular share_option’s share_url) |
| total_shares | integer | A computed property representing the current count of the total number of times the content has been shared by activists. |
| share_options | ShareOptions[] | An array of share options objects representing the default language and attributes used when an activist shares this content via various mediums. More than one share_options object is allowed. Depending on server implementations, these could represent different share language variations to test or rotate. |
Related Objects
These JSON hashes included in the table above are broken out into their own tables for readability, rather than independent resources with their own endpoints.
Targets
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| target.name | string | The name of the target |
Share Options
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| facebook_share | Facebook Share | An object hash representing the default language and attributes used when an activist shares on Facebook. |
| twitter_share | Twitter Share | An object hash representing the default language and attributes used when an activist shares on Twitter. |
| email_share | Email Share | An object hash representing the default language and attributes used when an activist shares via email. |
Facebook Share
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| facebook_share.title | string | The title of the post created when an activist shares content on Facebook. |
| facebook_share.description | string | The description of the post created when an activist shares content on Facebook. |
| facebook_share.image | string | The URL of an image that goes with post created when an activist shares content on Facebook. |
| facebook_share.total_shares | integer | A computed property representing the current count of the total number of times the content has been shared on Facebook. |
| facebook_share.share_url | string | A URL string pointing to the page that is used specifically for Facebook sharing |
Twitter Share
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| twitter_share.message | string | The text of the post created when an activist shares content on Twitter. Some systems may use templating or appends to insert the share_url into the tweet automatically. |
| twitter_share.total_shares | integer | A computed property representing the current count of the total number of times the content has been shared on Twitter. |
| twitter_share.share_url | string | A URL string pointing to the page that is used specifically for Twitter sharing |
Email Share
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| email_share.subject | string | The subject line of the email created when an activist shares content via email. |
| email_share.body | string | The body text of the email created when an activist shares content via email. Some systems may use templating or appends to insert the share_url into the email body automatically. |
| email_share.total_shares | integer | A computed property representing the current count of the total number of times content has been shared via email. |
| email_share.share_url | string | A URL string pointing to the page that is used specifically for email sharing |
Links
The links associated with this resource, available in the links section of the resource. Links that are part of the OSDI spec are typically prefixed with the osdi: namespace to aid in curie matching and readability.
Note: As with the entire OSDI specification, the specific links a compliant system supplies will vary between each system. In addition, systems may choose to embed a linked resource directly in the response in addition to linking to it in the links section, using the standard _embedded syntax described in the general overview documentation.
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| self | Petition* | A self-referential link to the petition. |
| creator | Person* | A link to a single Person resource representing the creator of the petition. |
| sponsor | Organization* | A link to an Organization resource that is responsible for creating the petition and/or is the primary supporting/sponsoring organization. |
| modified_by | Person* | A link to a Person resource representing the last editor of this petition. |
| taggings | Taggings[]* | A link to the collection of Tagging resources for this petition. |
| signatures | Signatures[]* | A link to the collection of Signature resources for this petition. |
| record_signature_helper | Record Signature Helper* | A link to the Record Signature Helper resource endpoint for this petition. |
Related Resources
Scenarios
The scenarios below show some common Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD) operations that can be performed on this resource, as well as any resource-specific behaviors worth highlighting. The following examples are for informational purposes. The authoritative resource definitions are above in the Fields tables and should be followed in the event of a conflict with the examples.
Scenario: Retrieving a collection of Petition resources (GET)
Petition resources are sometimes presented as collections of petitions. For example, calling the petitions endpoint will return a collection of all the petitions stored in the system’s database associated with your api key.
Request
GET https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/
Header:
OSDI-API-Token:[your api key here]
Response
200 OK
Content-Type: application/hal+json
Cache-Control: max-age=0, private, must-revalidate
{
"total_pages": 10,
"per_page": 25,
"page": 1,
"total_records": 250,
"_links": {
"next": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions?page=2"
},
"osdi:petitions": [
{
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3"
},
{
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e"
},
//(truncated for brevity)
],
"curies": [
{
"name": "osdi",
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/docs/v1/{rel}",
"templated": true
}
],
"self": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions"
}
},
"_embedded": {
"osdi:petitions": [
{
"identifiers": [
"osdi_sample_system:d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3",
"foreign_system:1"
],
"origin_system": "OSDI Sample System",
"created_date": "2014-03-20T21:04:31Z",
"modified_date": "2014-03-20T21:04:31Z",
"name": "Acme Co Petition",
"title": "Tell Acme Co To Stop Doing The Bad Thing",
"description": "<p>Acme Co is doing a bad thing!</p><p>Sign this petition to tell them to stop.</p>",
"summary": "Acme Co is doing a bad thing!",
"petition_text": "To: Acme Co -- Stop doing the bad thing!",
"browser_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/acme-co-stop-doing-the-bad-thing",
"administrative_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/acme-co-stop-doing-the-bad-thing/manage",
"featured_image_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/images/petition-image.jpg",
"total_signatures": 345,
"target": [
{
"name": "Jane Doe, CEO, Acme Co"
},
{
"name": "John Smith, Chairman, Acme Co"
}
],
"share_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/my-petition/",
"total_shares": 345,
"share_options": [
{
"facebook_share": {
"title": "Sign our petition!",
"description": "They need to stop doing the bad thing",
"image": "http://odsi-sample-system.org/images/petition-share-image.jpg",
"total_shares": 100
},
"twitter_share": {
"message": "Sign the @OSDI petition! Click here: http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/my-petition/",
"total_shares": 100
},
"email_share": {
"subject": "Sign our petition!",
"body": "Can you sign? Click here: http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/my-petition/",
"total_shares": 145
}
}
],
"_links": {
"self": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3"
},
"osdi:signatures": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/signatures"
},
"osdi:creator": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/65345d7d-cd24-466a-a698-4a7686ef684f"
},
"osdi:sponsor": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/organizations/5d7d6534-cd24-566a-98a6-ef684f4a7686"
},
"osdi:modified_by": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/c945d6fe-929e-11e3-a2e9-12313d316c29"
},
"osdi:taggings": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e/taggings"
},
"osdi:record_signature_helper": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/record_signature_helper"
}
}
},
{
"identifiers": [
"osdi_sample_system:1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e"
],
"origin_system": "OSDI Sample System",
"created_date": "2014-03-20T20:44:13Z",
"modified_date": "2014-03-20T20:44:13Z",
"title": "Congress: Raise the minimum wage!",
"description": "<p>We need $15/hour now!</p>",
"petition_text": "Congress, pass the minimum wage increase now!",
"browser_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/raise-the-wage",
"administrative_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/raise-the-wage/manage",
"total_signatures": 10572,
"target": [
{
"name": "Congress"
}
],
"_links": {
"self": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e"
},
"osdi:signatures": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e/signatures"
},
"osdi:creator": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/65345d7d-cd24-466a-a698-4a7686ef684f"
},
"osdi:sponsor": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/organizations/5d7d6534-cd24-566a-98a6-ef684f4a7686"
},
"osdi:modified_by": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/65345d7d-cd24-466a-a698-4a7686ef684f"
},
"osdi:taggings": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e/taggings"
},
"osdi:record_signature_helper": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e/record_signature_helper"
}
}
},
//(truncated for brevity)
]
}
}
Scenario: Scenario: Retrieving an individual Petition resource (GET)
Calling an individual Petition resource will return the resource directly, along with all associated fields and appropriate links to additional information about the petition.
Request
GET https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d32fcdd6-7366-466d-a3b8-7e0d87c3cd8b
Header:
OSDI-API-Token:[your api key here]
Response
200 OK
Content-Type: application/hal+json
Cache-Control: max-age=0, private, must-revalidate
{
"identifiers": [
"osdi_sample_system:d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3",
"foreign_system:1"
],
"origin_system": "OSDI Sample System",
"created_date": "2014-03-20T21:04:31Z",
"modified_date": "2014-03-20T21:04:31Z",
"name": "Acme Co Petition",
"title": "Tell Acme Co To Stop Doing The Bad Thing",
"description": "<p>Acme Co is doing a bad thing!</p><p>Sign this petition to tell them to stop.</p>",
"summary": "Acme Co is doing a bad thing!",
"petition_text": "To: Acme Co -- Stop doing the bad thing!",
"browser_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/acme-co-stop-doing-the-bad-thing",
"administrative_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/acme-co-stop-doing-the-bad-thing/manage",
"featured_image_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/images/petition-image.jpg",
"total_signatures": 345,
"target": [
{
"name": "Jane Doe, CEO, Acme Co"
},
{
"name": "John Smith, Chairman, Acme Co"
}
],
"share_url": "http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/my-petition/",
"total_shares": 345,
"share_options": [
{
"facebook_share": {
"title": "Sign our petition!",
"description": "They need to stop doing the bad thing",
"image": "http://odsi-sample-system.org/images/petition-share-image.jpg",
"total_shares": 100
},
"twitter_share": {
"message": "Sign the @OSDI petition! Click here: http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/my-petition/",
"total_shares": 100
},
"email_share": {
"subject": "Sign our petition!",
"body": "Can you sign? Click here: http://osdi-sample-system.org/petitions/my-petition/",
"total_shares": 145
}
}
],
"_links": {
"self": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3"
},
"osdi:signatures": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/signatures"
},
"osdi:creator": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/65345d7d-cd24-466a-a698-4a7686ef684f"
},
"osdi:sponsor": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/organizations/5d7d6534-cd24-566a-98a6-ef684f4a7686"
},
"osdi:taggings": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e/taggings"
},
"osdi:modified_by": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/c945d6fe-929e-11e3-a2e9-12313d316c29"
},
"osdi:record_signature_helper": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/record_signature_helper"
}
}
}
Scenario: Creating a new petition (POST)
Posting to the petition collection endpoint will allow you to create a new petition. The response is the new petition that was created. While each implementing system will require different fields, any optional fields not included in a post operation should not be set at all by the receiving system, or should be set to default values.
Request
POST https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/
Header:
OSDI-API-Token:[your api key here]
{
"identifiers": [
"foreign_system:1"
],
"title": "Tell Acme Co To Stop Doing The Bad Thing",
"name": "Acme Co Petition",
"origin_system": "OpenSupporter"
}
Response
200 OK
Content-Type: application/hal+json
Cache-Control: max-age=0, private, must-revalidate
{
"identifiers": [
"osdi_sample_system:d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3",
"foreign_system:1"
],
"origin_system": "OpenSupporter",
"created_date": "2014-03-20T21:04:31Z",
"modified_date": "2014-03-20T21:04:31Z",
"name": "Acme Co Petition",
"title": "Tell Acme Co To Stop Doing The Bad Thing",
"total_signatures": 0,
"_links": {
"self": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3"
},
"osdi:signatures": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/signatures"
},
"osdi:creator": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/65345d7d-cd24-466a-a698-4a7686ef684f"
},
"osdi:sponsor": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/organizations/5d7d6534-cd24-566a-98a6-ef684f4a7686"
},
"osdi:taggings": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e/taggings"
},
"osdi:record_signature_helper": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/record_signature_helper"
}
}
}
Scenario: Modifying a petition (PUT)
You can update a petition by calling a PUT operation on that petition’s endpoint. Your PUT should contain fields that you want to update. Missing fields will be ignored by the receiving system. Systems may also ignore PUT values, depending on whether fields you are trying to modify are read-only or not. You may set an attribute to nil by including the attribute using nil for value.
Note: Modifying members of an array separately is not supported. To change the contents of an array, first GET the current contents and then PUT back only those you wish to keep.
Request
PUT https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-de9uemdse
Header:
OSDI-API-Token:[your api key here]
{
"name": "Acme Co Petition [December 2014]"
}
Response
200 OK
Content-Type: application/hal+json
Cache-Control: max-age=0, private, must-revalidate
{
"identifiers": [
"osdi_sample_system:d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3",
"foreign_system:1"
],
"origin_system": "OpenSupporter",
"created_date": "2014-03-20T21:04:31Z",
"modified_date": "2014-03-20T22:04:31Z",
"name": "Acme Co Petition [December 2014]",
"title": "Tell Acme Co To Stop Doing The Bad Thing",
"total_signatures": 0,
"_links": {
"self": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3"
},
"osdi:signatures": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/signatures"
},
"osdi:creator": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/people/65345d7d-cd24-466a-a698-4a7686ef684f"
},
"osdi:sponsor": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/organizations/5d7d6534-cd24-566a-98a6-ef684f4a7686"
},
"osdi:taggings": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/1efc3644-af25-4253-90b8-a0baf12dbd1e/taggings"
},
"osdi:record_signature_helper": {
"href": "https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d91b4b2e-ae0e-4cd3-9ed7-d0ec501b0bc3/record_signature_helper"
}
}
}
Scenario: Deleting a petition (DELETE)
You may delete a petition by calling the DELETE command on the petition’s endpoint.
Request
DELETE https://osdi-sample-system.org/api/v1/petitions/d32fcdd6-7366-466d-a3b8-7e0d87c3cd8b
Header:
OSDI-API-Token:[your api key here]
Response
200 OK
Content-Type: application/hal+json
Cache-Control: max-age=0, private, must-revalidate
{
"notice": "This petition was successfully deleted."
}