REST Plug-in
This plug-in exposes a subset of the C API provided for developing communication plug-ins in the form of a RESTful API which is served on an embedded HTTP server. This allows you to create your own application-specific frontend and to control MERLIC RTE.
The REST plug-in provides a built-in example web application which allows you to explore the MERLIC RTE state machine and monitor recipe results directly from a web browser. It also embeds an interactive documentation of the RESTful API. The built-in web application is served through the same HTTP server which hosts the REST API. However, it can also be disabled.
The configuration of the REST plug-in itself can be adjusted in the MERLIC RTE Setup.
Requirements and Limitations
When using the REST plug-in, the following requirements and limitations apply:
- For consuming the RESTful API from a custom application, any HTTP client library can be used.
- For using the built-in web application, a modern web browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome™, or Microsoft Edge is needed.
- Exposing the RESTful API on the public internet is a security risk. Without additional measures you expose yourself to the risk of having all traffic to and from the REST plug-in read as plain text by third-parties as it travels through the internet. This can be mitigated by using a reverse proxy and properly configuring TLS. Another serious risk is the functionality exposed via the RESTful API. Access to the RESTful API is something that should only be available to trusted users. This risk can be mitigated by implementing an appropriate form of user management. Another option to mitigate risks is to avoid exposing the RESTful API via the public internet. This can be achieved by operating the server and clients within a virtual private network (VPN).
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