Registering endpoints and HTTP method for exemption of authentication

Question

I have a set of API endpoints where the URL is not standardized, so I could either get "api/auth" or "api/auth/" (may or may not end with "/"). I'm 'registering' the endpoint, plus the HTTP Method that comes in, so I can exclude certain endpoints from having to authenticate.

I've written this piece of code, which has a lot of repetition. Any thoughts?

Private _ExemptEndpoints As New List(Of Tuple(Of String, Method))
Public Sub RegisterAuthExemptEndpoint(endpoint As String, method As Method) Implements IRestAuthenticator.RegisterAuthExemptEndpoint
 Dim endpoints As New List(Of Tuple(Of String, Method))
 Dim allMethods As Boolean = False
 If method = Nothing Then allMethods = True
 Dim ep1
 Dim ep2
 If Not endpoint.EndsWith("/") Then
 ep1 = endpoint
 ep2 = endpoint + "/"
 Else
 ep1 = endpoint.Remove(endpoint.Length - 1, 1)
 ep2 = endpoint
 End If
 If allMethods Then
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.GET))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.POST))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.PUT))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.DELETE))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.GET))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.POST))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.PUT))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.DELETE))
 Else
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method))
 End If
End Sub

Answer 1

The endpoints list doesn't seem to be used. Also, enable Option Explicit On.

You could have a list of method instead.

Dim methodToAdd As New List(Of Method)
If method = Nothing Then
 ' This list could be stored
 methodToAdd.Add(Method.GET)
 methodToAdd.Add(Method.POST)
 methodToAdd.Add(Method.PUT)
 methodToAdd.Add(Method.DELETE)
Else
 methodToAdd.Add(method)
End If
Dim ep1, ep2 As String
If Not endpoint.EndsWith("/") Then
 ep1 = endpoint
 ep2 = endpoint + "/"
Else
 ep1 = endpoint.Remove(endpoint.Length - 1, 1)
 ep2 = endpoint
End If
For Each m As Method In methodToAdd
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, m))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, m))
Next

• Greg: Very nice the_lotus, I really like that, much cleaner without having to repeat the tuples.

Answer 2

Basically what you are asking is what can we do about this

 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.GET))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.POST))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.PUT))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method.DELETE))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.GET))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.POST))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.PUT))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method.DELETE))

and the contents of the else block as well.

I would create a method that takes the Endpoints ep1 and ep2 as parameters

something like

Public Sub MethodAddingEndpointsToExemptedList(endpoint As String)
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(endpoint, method.GET))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(endpoint, method.POST))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(endpoint, method.PUT))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(endpoint, method.DELETE))
End Sub

and then you can just call this method inside the if block like this

If allMethods Then
 MethodAddingEndpointsToExemptedList(ep1)
 MethodAddingEndpointsToExemptedList(ep2)
Else
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep1, method))
 _ExemptEndpoints.Add(Tuple.[New](Of String, Method)(ep2, method))
End If

You could go a step further and create a list of the endpoints and then use a foreach loop to add them to the list of Exempted endpoints.