When building requests in PalDock, each field can define its format and nesting to match the structure expected by the external API.
Correct formatting ensures that data is delivered exactly as the third party requires. A practical tool for testing is jsonpath.com (choose JSONPath Plus).
Dot Notation
Dot notation is used to define hierarchical objects. Each dot (.) represents a property inside the object.
Example:
- customer.name → maps to “name” inside “customer”.
- customer.email → maps to “email” inside “customer”.
Result:
{
"customer": {
"name": "Jan Novák",
"email": "jan.novak@email.cz"
}
}
Bracket Notation
Bracket notation is used for arrays/lists, where each item has an index.
Example:
- orders[0].product → first order’s product.
- orders[0].price → first order’s price.
Result:
{
"orders": [
{
"product": "Laptop",
"price": "1200 EUR"
},
{
"product": "Phone",
"price": "650 EUR"
}
]
}
Combining Dot and Bracket Notation
You can mix both notations to represent full objects with lists.
Example:
- customer.name, customer.email
- orders[0].product, orders[1].price
Result:
{
"customer": {
"name": "John Doe",
"email": "john.doe@example.com",
"currency": "EUR"
},
"orders": [
{
"product": "Laptop",
"price": "1200 EUR"
},
{
"product": "Phone",
"price": "650 EUR"
}
]
}
Think of objects (customer) as folders, and arrays (orders) as lists inside them. Dot and bracket notation are like paths that let you open the folder and find the exact file you need.
Auto Grouping
Fields do not need to be placed next to each other in the editor. As long as their names use the correct dot or bracket notation, PalDock will automatically group them into the proper nested structure when building the request.
Example:
- customer.name
- orders[1].price
- customer.email
- orders[0].product
Even if they are listed in this order, the system will generate a structured payload with a customer object and an orders array, grouped correctly.
Best Practices
- Always check the external API’s documentation for the required structure.
- Use dot notation for nested objects and bracket notation for arrays.
- For testing your JSON path and structure, use jsonpath.com with JSONPath Plus.