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Variables in the REST API

In the REST API, process variables are represented by JSON objects of the following form:

{
  "type": "String",
  "value": "Some value",
  "valueInfo": {}

}

The REST API supports the Value Types supported by the process engine.

Capitalization of Type Names​

In the REST API, the type names start with a capital letter, i.e., String instead of string.

Serialized and Deserialized Object Values​

Object Values are instances of (non primitive) Java types. When working with the REST API, it is generally advisable to work with the serialized value of a variable. In that case the value is retrieved from the database and directly returned in the http response. If the client you are building is not a Java Applications by itself, make sure you use a text-based serialization dataformat (such as XML or JSON).

note

To retrieve the serialized form of a variable, use the deserializeValues=false GET parameter.

Serialize Variables of type Object in REST API​

In the REST API, process variables of type Object can be serialized in JSON or XML format.

Serializing Object into JSON format:

	{
	   "variables": {
	      "aVariable": {
	         "value": "{\"somekey\": \"somevalue\"}",
	         "type": "Object",
	         "valueInfo": {
	            "objectTypeName": "com.operaton.SomeClass",
	            "serializationDataFormat": "application/json"
	         }
	      }
	   }
	}

Serializing Object into XML format:

	{
	   "variables": {
	      "aVariable": {
	         "value": "<somekey>somevalue</somekey>",
	         "type": "Object",
	         "valueInfo": {
	            "objectTypeName": "com.operaton.SomeClass",
	            "serializationDataFormat": "application/xml"
	         }
	      }
	   }
	}