bc-code-intelligence-mcp

--- title: "API Page Field Control Selection Strategy" domain: "jordan-bridge" difficulty: "intermediate" bc_versions: "14+" tags: ["field-control", "api-design", "data-exposure"] samples: "samples/api-field-control.md" --- # API Page Field Control Selection Strategy ## Overview Field control selection in API pages determines which table fields are exposed through the API endpoint and how they behave during data operations. This strategic decision directly impacts API performance, security, and integration complexity. Proper field selection balances data accessibility with system performance, ensuring APIs provide necessary business data without exposing sensitive information or creating unnecessary computational overhead. ## Field Selection Principles ### Business Value Assessment Include fields that provide direct business value to API consumers. Avoid exposing internal system fields unless they serve specific integration requirements. ### Performance Impact Evaluation Each exposed field adds to API response size and processing overhead. Evaluate whether field inclusion justifies the performance cost, especially for high-volume integrations. ### Security and Privacy Considerations Exclude fields containing sensitive data unless explicit business requirements justify exposure. Consider data classification and regulatory compliance requirements. ## Control Type Strategy ### Editable Field Controls Use for fields that external systems should be able to modify through POST and PATCH operations. Carefully consider business rule implications of allowing external modifications. ### Read-Only Field Exposures Expose calculated fields, system-generated values, and reference data as read-only to provide context without allowing external modification that could compromise data integrity. ### Conditional Field Visibility Implement field visibility based on user permissions or business context when APIs need to serve multiple consumer types with different data access requirements. ## Advanced Field Control Patterns ### Related Table Field Exposure When exposing fields from related tables, consider whether to include them directly or provide navigation properties for more flexible data access patterns. ### Calculated Field Implementation Include calculated fields that provide business value but ensure calculations are efficient enough for API response time requirements. ### System Field Selective Exposure Selectively expose system fields like SystemId, SystemCreatedAt when they provide integration value, but avoid exposing internal audit fields unnecessarily. ## Field Selection Impact Analysis ### API Response Size Optimization Monitor API response sizes with different field combinations to optimize for common usage patterns while maintaining necessary data completeness. ### Integration Complexity Assessment Evaluate how field selection affects client implementation complexity. Too few fields require multiple API calls, too many create unnecessary data transfer. ### Maintenance Overhead Considerations Consider long-term maintenance implications of field exposure decisions, including how business changes might affect API contracts. ## Data Type and Format Considerations ### Date and Time Field Handling Ensure date/time fields are exposed with appropriate formatting and timezone considerations for global integration scenarios. ### Decimal Precision Management Configure decimal fields with appropriate precision for business requirements while considering JSON serialization limitations. ### Text Field Length Optimization Balance text field length exposure with API performance, especially for fields that may contain large amounts of data. ## Security-First Field Selection ### Sensitive Data Protection Identify and exclude personally identifiable information (PII) and other sensitive data unless explicit business requirements and proper security controls exist. ### Permission-Based Field Exposure Align field visibility with BC permission structures to maintain consistent security models between UI and API access. ### Data Classification Compliance Ensure field exposure decisions comply with organizational data classification policies and regulatory requirements. ## Performance Optimization Techniques ### Lazy Loading Strategies Consider whether large text fields or blob data should be excluded from default responses and provided through separate endpoints for performance optimization. ### Selective Field Loading Design APIs to support field selection parameters allowing clients to request only required fields for optimal performance. ### Caching Considerations Evaluate how field selection affects caching strategies and whether certain field combinations are more cache-friendly than others. ## Validation and Testing ### Field Exposure Testing Systematically test that exposed fields behave correctly across all supported HTTP operations (GET, POST, PATCH, DELETE). ### Performance Impact Validation Measure API response times and payload sizes with different field configurations to validate performance assumptions. ### Security Verification Verify that field exposure decisions maintain appropriate security boundaries and don't inadvertently expose sensitive information. ## Best Practices ### Documentation Standards Document field selection rationale to aid future maintenance decisions and help API consumers understand available data. ### Evolutionary Design Plan field selection to accommodate future business requirements while maintaining backward compatibility with existing integrations. ### Consumer-Driven Selection Engage with API consumers to understand their data requirements and optimize field selection for actual usage patterns rather than theoretical completeness.