Nuxt•3w ago

"Simpler" date conversion from API without using a special formatter like SuperJSON?

Does anyone know of a tool/module/whatever that could be naturally parse api responses back into their native data types? For instance, Dates get converted to string for serialization but not back on the client side. I've used SuperJSON previously to handle the conversion, but that also makes debugging less enjoyable since now all the api responses are encoded in its format which just creates a lot of noise.

17 Replies

kapa.ai•3w ago

Hi @bnason. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave: ---------------------- To address your question about simpler date conversion from API responses without using a special formatter like SuperJSON, Nuxt provides a built-in solution for serializing and deserializing data, including Date objects. Here's what you can do: 1. For API routes in the server directory, Nuxt automatically handles serialization using JSON.stringify. However, it also tries to convert the return type of $fetch and useFetch to match the actual value. 2. To customize the serialization behavior, you can define a toJSON function on your returned object. This allows you to control how the data is serialized without using external libraries. Here's an example of how you can implement this:

export default defineEventHandler(() => {
  const data = {
    createdAt: new Date(),

    toJSON() {
      return {
        createdAt: {
          year: this.createdAt.getFullYear(),
          month: this.createdAt.getMonth(),
          day: this.createdAt.getDate(),
        },
      }
    },
  }
  return data
})

export default defineEventHandler(() => {
  const data = {
    createdAt: new Date(),

    toJSON() {
      return {
        createdAt: {
          year: this.createdAt.getFullYear(),
          month: this.createdAt.getMonth(),
          day: this.createdAt.getDate(),
        },
      }
    },
  }
  return data
})

In your Vue component, you can then use it like this:

<script setup lang="ts">
// Type of `data` is inferred as
// {
//   createdAt: {
//     year: number
//     month: number
//     day: number
//   }
// }
const { data } = await useFetch('/api/bar')
</script>

<script setup lang="ts">
// Type of `data` is inferred as
// {
//   createdAt: {
//     year: number
//     month: number
//     day: number
//   }
// }
const { data } = await useFetch('/api/bar')
</script>

This approach allows you to have more control over the serialization process without introducing additional libraries or complex encoding formats. It keeps your API responses clean and easily debuggable while still providing type safety. For more details on this approach, you can refer to the Nuxt Data Fetching documentation. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•3w ago

<@712351223482810390> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.

bnasonOP•3w ago

@kapa.ai Right, but this requires manually reconstructing a Date object on the client side for every date field there is.

kapa.ai•3w ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books: ---------------------- You're correct, and I apologize for not addressing that aspect in my previous answer. You're right that the method I described would require manual reconstruction of Date objects on the client side for each date field, which can be cumbersome. Unfortunately, the knowledge sources don't provide a built-in solution in Nuxt for automatically converting serialized dates back to Date objects without manual intervention or using external libraries like SuperJSON. However, there is a potential workaround using Nuxt's payload plugin system, which allows you to define custom serializers and deserializers for specific types. This approach would allow you to automatically handle Date conversions without manually reconstructing them on the client side for each field. Here's an example of how you could implement this:

export default definePayloadPlugin((nuxtApp) => {
  definePayloadReducer('DateTime', (value) => {
    return value instanceof Date && value.toJSON()
  })
  definePayloadReviver('DateTime', (value) => {
    return new Date(value)
  })
})

export default definePayloadPlugin((nuxtApp) => {
  definePayloadReducer('DateTime', (value) => {
    return value instanceof Date && value.toJSON()
  })
  definePayloadReviver('DateTime', (value) => {
    return new Date(value)
  })
})

This plugin defines a reducer (serializer) and a reviver (deserializer) for Date objects. The reducer converts Date objects to JSON strings, and the reviver converts them back to Date objects. You can learn more about this approach in the useNuxtApp documentation. Keep in mind that this method works for data fetched using useAsyncData or useLazyAsyncData, which utilize the Nuxt payload system. It won't automatically apply to data fetched directly from API routes using $fetch or useFetch. For API routes, you might still need to implement a custom solution or consider using a library like SuperJSON if the manual conversion becomes too cumbersome for your use case. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•3w ago

<@712351223482810390> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.

bnasonOP•3w ago

@kapa.ai Are there any alternatives to SuperJSON that don't serialzie to a custom format. IE, they serialzie only the actual object.

kapa.ai•3w ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books: ---------------------- While the knowledge sources don't provide specific alternatives to SuperJSON that serialize only the actual object without using a custom format, I can offer some insights based on the available information. Nuxt provides built-in serialization capabilities that might suit your needs without requiring an external library: 1. Default Serialization: Nuxt uses JSON.stringify for serializing data from API routes. This approach doesn't use a custom format but has limitations with complex types like Dates. Data Fetching documentation explains: "When fetching data from the server directory, the response is serialized using JSON.stringify. However, since serialization is limited to only JavaScript primitive types, Nuxt does its best to convert the return type of $fetch and useFetch to match the actual value." 2. Custom Serializer Function: You can define a toJSON method on your returned object to control serialization without introducing a custom format. This allows you to handle complex types like Dates in a way that suits your needs.

   export default defineEventHandler(() => {
     return {
       createdAt: new Date(),
       toJSON() {
         return {
           createdAt: this.createdAt.toISOString()
         }
       }
     }
   })

   export default defineEventHandler(() => {
     return {
       createdAt: new Date(),
       toJSON() {
         return {
           createdAt: this.createdAt.toISOString()
         }
       }
     }
   })

3. Payload Plugin: For more advanced scenarios, you can use Nuxt's payload plugin system to define custom serializers and deserializers. This approach allows you to handle specific types (like Dates) without affecting the overall structure of your data. useNuxtApp documentation provides an example:

   export default definePayloadPlugin((nuxtApp) => {
     definePayloadReducer('DateTime', (value) => {
       return value instanceof DateTime && value.toJSON()
     })
     definePayloadReviver('DateTime', (value) => {
       return DateTime.fromISO(value)
     })
   })

   export default definePayloadPlugin((nuxtApp) => {
     definePayloadReducer('DateTime', (value) => {
       return value instanceof DateTime && value.toJSON()
     })
     definePayloadReviver('DateTime', (value) => {
       return DateTime.fromISO(value)
     })
   })

These built-in Nuxt features might provide the functionality you're looking for without resorting to external libraries or custom formats. However, if you need more advanced serialization capabilities, you might need to explore other libraries or implement a custom solution. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•3w ago

<@712351223482810390> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.

bnasonOP•3w ago

@kapa.ai Is there a way to disable Nuxts type conversion from Date to string in the api types?

kapa.ai•3w ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books: ---------------------- Based on the knowledge sources provided, there isn't a direct way to disable Nuxt's automatic type conversion from Date to string in API types. However, there is a workaround that you can use to maintain the Date type in your API responses. You can leverage the toJSON method to preserve the Date object while still allowing it to be serialized. Here's how you can do it:

export default defineEventHandler(() => {
  const data = {
    createdAt: new Date(),

    // Workaround the type conversion
    toJSON() {
      return this
    }
  }

  return data
})

export default defineEventHandler(() => {
  const data = {
    createdAt: new Date(),

    // Workaround the type conversion
    toJSON() {
      return this
    }
  }

  return data
})

By implementing the toJSON method this way, you're telling Nuxt to use the object as-is during serialization. This approach allows you to maintain the Date type in your API response types. When using this data on the client side, you can access the createdAt property as a Date object:

<script setup lang="ts">
const { data } = await useFetch('/api/your-endpoint')

// `data.createdAt` will be inferred as a Date object
console.log(data.value.createdAt.getFullYear())
</script>

<script setup lang="ts">
const { data } = await useFetch('/api/your-endpoint')

// `data.createdAt` will be inferred as a Date object
console.log(data.value.createdAt.getFullYear())
</script>

This method is described in the Nuxt Data Fetching documentation. It's important to note that while this approach preserves the Date type in your TypeScript types, the actual value sent over the network will still be serialized to a string. The toJSON method allows you to control how the serialization happens and how Nuxt infers the types, but it doesn't change the fundamental JSON serialization process. If you need more control over the serialization process or want to handle more complex scenarios, you might want to consider using a custom serializer as mentioned in the previous conversations. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•3w ago

<@712351223482810390> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.

bnasonOP•3w ago

@kapa.ai unfortunately, this only works for objects. My response is an array

kapa.ai•3w ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books: ---------------------- I understand your concern. You're right that the previous solution using the toJSON method works for objects but not for arrays. Unfortunately, the knowledge sources don't provide a direct solution for handling arrays of dates without type conversion in Nuxt API responses. However, based on the information available, I can suggest a potential workaround: You could wrap your array in an object and apply the toJSON method to that object. Here's how you might do this:

export default defineEventHandler(() => {
  const data = {
    items: [new Date(), new Date(), new Date()],

    toJSON() {
      return this
    }
  }

  return data
})

export default defineEventHandler(() => {
  const data = {
    items: [new Date(), new Date(), new Date()],

    toJSON() {
      return this
    }
  }

  return data
})

Then, on the client side, you would access your array through the items property:

<script setup lang="ts">
const { data } = await useFetch('/api/your-endpoint')

// data.value.items will be an array of Date objects
console.log(data.value.items[0].getFullYear())
</script>

<script setup lang="ts">
const { data } = await useFetch('/api/your-endpoint')

// data.value.items will be an array of Date objects
console.log(data.value.items[0].getFullYear())
</script>

This approach should preserve the Date types in your array while still allowing the response to be serialized. However, it's important to note that this is a workaround and not an official solution. The underlying issue of Nuxt converting Dates to strings in API responses for arrays remains. If this workaround doesn't meet your needs, you might need to consider using a custom serialization solution or explore third-party libraries that can handle this scenario more robustly. For more complex scenarios or if you need a more comprehensive solution, you might want to refer to the Nuxt Data Fetching documentation for additional insights or consider reaching out to the Nuxt community for more specific guidance. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•3w ago

<@712351223482810390> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.

bnasonOP•3w ago

@kapa.ai During what hooks can the nuxt kit addTemplate function be used? I'm using it in nitro:init compiled hook, but the template is not being created.

kapa.ai•3w ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books: ---------------------- To answer your question about when the addTemplate function from Nuxt Kit can be used, let's look at the relevant information from the knowledge sources. The addTemplate function is primarily designed to be used during the build time of Nuxt applications. It's typically used within Nuxt modules or in the nuxt.config.js file. However, the nitro:init compiled hook you mentioned is a runtime server-side hook, which occurs after the build process has completed. According to the Nuxt Hooks documentation, the appropriate hooks for adding templates are: 1. modules:done: Called during Nuxt initialization, after installing user modules. 2. app:templates: Called during NuxtApp generation, to allow customizing, modifying or adding new files to the build directory. These hooks occur during the build process, which is the appropriate time to add templates. The Nuxt Kit Templates documentation doesn't specify timing restrictions, but it does mention that templates are rendered "during build into the project buildDir." It's important to note that the nitro:init hook is called after Nitro (the server engine) is initialized, which is typically after the main Nuxt build process. This explains why your template is not being created when you use addTemplate in this hook. To resolve your issue, you should move the addTemplate call to an earlier hook in the build process, such as modules:done or app:templates. For example:

export default defineNuxtModule({
  setup(options, nuxt) {
    nuxt.hook('modules:done', () => {
      addTemplate({
        // Your template configuration here
      })
    })
  }
})

export default defineNuxtModule({
  setup(options, nuxt) {
    nuxt.hook('modules:done', () => {
      addTemplate({
        // Your template configuration here
      })
    })
  }
})

By using one of these earlier hooks, you ensure that your template is added during the build process when Nuxt is expecting to handle templates. Nuxt Hooks (Build Time) ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•3w ago

<@712351223482810390> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.

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"Simpler" date conversion from API without using a special formatter like SuperJSON?

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