Call server-side data actions with AJAX

This article describes how to call server-side data actions by using Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce.

The Dynamics 365 Commerce online software development kit (SDK) supports using AJAX to invoke server-side data actions from the client browser. Use this feature in scenarios where data actions contain sensitive information, such as an API key or secret that is required to call a partner service. For these scenarios, don't reveal sensitive information through a client-side data action call.

To use AJAX to invoke a data action on the server, use the following URL route. The ID parameter value specifies the data action that runs on the server. This URL route supports both HTTP GET and POST requests.

/api?id=<data_action_id>

The online SDK provides the commerceAPIRequest helper utility function. This function provides controls for AJAX requests, such as the ability to support more context information.

GET request format

import * as MsDyn365 from '@msdyn365-commerce/core';

public async componentDidMount(): Promise<void> {
    const response = await MsDyn365.commerceApiRequest(
        this.props.context.request,
        '<data_action_id>',
        'get'
    );
}

POST request format

import * as MsDyn365 from '@msdyn365-commerce/core';

public async componentDidMount(): Promise<void> {
    const response = await commerceApiRequest(
        this.props.context.request,
        '<data_action_id>',
        'post',
        {
            content: 'sample text'
        }
    );
}

For POST requests, access the post body from the ctx.requestContext.postBody context object inside the data action, as shown in the following example.

async function action(
        input: Msdyn365.IActionInput[],
        ctx: Msdyn365.IActionContext
    ): Promise<IWeatherConditions[]> {
    const postBody = ctx.requestContext.postBody?.content;
    return postBody;
}

Additional resources

Data action overview

Observable data actions

Data action cache settings