How to change a type’s API address#

Each sample and measurement type is served at an address made from its plural name. You change the address by changing that name on the model. Do this when the name the portal derived is not the one you want people to call.

Before you start#

Know who calls the type’s address today. Changing it moves the address, and nothing redirects from the old one.
The examples use a sample type PlantSample, served at /api/v1/samples/plant-samples/ until the name changes.

Steps#

Open the model and set verbose_name and verbose_name_plural in its Meta.
```
class PlantSample(Sample):
    species = models.CharField(max_length=100)

    class Meta:
        verbose_name = "leaf sample"
        verbose_name_plural = "leaf samples"
```
The address is the plural name in lower case with spaces replaced by hyphens, so this gives /api/v1/samples/leaf-samples/. When you set no Meta, Django makes the plural name from the class name, so PlantSample gives plant samples and XRFMeasurement gives xrf measurements.
Create and apply the migration. Django records a change of verbose_name in a migration.
```
uv run python manage.py makemigrations
uv run python manage.py migrate
```
Restart the portal and open /api/v1/.

The result#

The root lists the type at its new address, and the two addresses /api/v1/samples/leaf-samples/ and /api/v1/samples/leaf-samples/{uuid}/ answer. The route names change with them: reverse("api:samples-leaf-samples-list") gives the list address. The old address answers 404.

The plural name also titles each operation of the type in the API documentation, written as the model gives it, such as leaf samples: list.

A sample type and a measurement type with the same plural name do not collide, because samples are served under samples/ and measurements under measurements/.

Tell the people who use the API before you rename a type that has been published. The list of addresses is in the REST API reference.