thrillwiki_django_no_react/docs/parks-rides-api-501-fix-llm-prompt.md

Parks and Rides API 501 Error Fix - Frontend Integration Prompt

Project Context

ThrillWiki is a comprehensive theme park and ride database with Django REST API backend. The parks and rides listing endpoints were returning 501 errors due to incorrect model imports, preventing frontend integration.

High-Level Objectives

• Fix 501 errors in both /api/v1/parks/ and /api/v1/rides/ endpoints
• Ensure proper model imports and database query functionality
• Maintain existing API contract and response formats
• Verify all filtering and search functionality works correctly

Technical Implementation Details

Root Cause Analysis

Both API endpoints were attempting to import the Company model from a non-existent apps.companies.models module. The Company model is actually located in apps.parks.models.

Backend Changes Applied

Parks API (backend/apps/api/v1/parks/park_views.py)

• Import Fix: Changed from from apps.companies.models import Company to from apps.parks.models import Park, Company
• Annotation Conflicts: Resolved database annotation conflicts by using calculated field names to avoid conflicts with existing model fields
• Query Optimization: Maintained existing select_related and prefetch_related optimizations

Rides API (backend/apps/api/v1/rides/views.py)

• Import Fix: Simplified imports to use single Company model from parks app
• Variable References: Updated all Company references to use correct import
• Maintained Functionality: All filtering, search, and pagination features preserved

API Endpoints Now Functional

Parks API Endpoints

• GET /api/v1/parks/ - List parks with comprehensive filtering and pagination
• GET /api/v1/parks/filter-options/ - Get filter metadata for frontend forms
• GET /api/v1/parks/search/companies/?q={query} - Company autocomplete search
• GET /api/v1/parks/search-suggestions/?q={query} - Park name suggestions
• GET /api/v1/parks/{id}/ - Individual park details
• PATCH /api/v1/parks/{id}/image-settings/ - Set banner/card images

Rides API Endpoints

• GET /api/v1/rides/ - List rides with comprehensive filtering and pagination
• GET /api/v1/rides/filter-options/ - Get filter metadata for frontend forms
• GET /api/v1/rides/search/companies/?q={query} - Company autocomplete search
• GET /api/v1/rides/search/ride-models/?q={query} - Ride model autocomplete
• GET /api/v1/rides/search-suggestions/?q={query} - Ride name suggestions
• GET /api/v1/rides/{id}/ - Individual ride details
• PATCH /api/v1/rides/{id}/image-settings/ - Set banner/card images

Mandatory API Rules Compliance

• Trailing Forward Slashes: All API endpoints include mandatory trailing forward slashes
• HTTP Methods: Proper GET/POST/PATCH/DELETE method usage
• Authentication: Public endpoints use AllowAny permissions
• Error Handling: Proper 404/400/500 error responses with detailed messages
• Pagination: Standard pagination with count, next, previous fields

Response Format Examples

Parks List Response

{
    "count": 7,
    "next": "http://localhost:8000/api/v1/parks/?page=2&page_size=2",
    "previous": null,
    "results": [
        {
            "id": 99,
            "name": "Cedar Point",
            "slug": "cedar-point",
            "status": "OPERATING",
            "description": "Known as the \"Roller Coaster Capital of the World\".",
            "average_rating": null,
            "coaster_count": 4,
            "ride_count": 4,
            "location": {
                "latitude": null,
                "longitude": null,
                "city": null,
                "state": null,
                "country": null,
                "formatted_address": ""
            },
            "operator": {
                "id": 114,
                "name": "Cedar Fair Entertainment Company",
                "slug": "cedar-fair-entertainment-company",
                "roles": ["OPERATOR"],
                "url": ""
            },
            "url": "http://www.thrillwiki.com/parks/cedar-point/",
            "created_at": "2025-08-22T15:33:27.302477-04:00",
            "updated_at": "2025-08-28T19:13:11.773038-04:00"
        }
    ]
}

Rides List Response

{
    "count": 10,
    "next": "http://localhost:8000/api/v1/rides/?page=2&page_size=2",
    "previous": null,
    "results": [
        {
            "id": 134,
            "name": "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad",
            "slug": "big-thunder-mountain-railroad",
            "category": "RC",
            "status": "OPERATING",
            "description": "Mine train roller coaster themed as a runaway mining train.",
            "park": {
                "id": 97,
                "name": "Magic Kingdom",
                "slug": "magic-kingdom"
            },
            "average_rating": null,
            "capacity_per_hour": null,
            "opening_date": "1980-11-15",
            "closing_date": null,
            "url": "http://www.thrillwiki.com/parks/magic-kingdom/rides/big-thunder-mountain-railroad/",
            "created_at": "2025-08-22T15:33:27.326714-04:00",
            "updated_at": "2025-08-28T19:13:11.752830-04:00"
        }
    ]
}

Filter Options Response Structure

Both parks and rides filter options endpoints return comprehensive metadata including:

• Categories: Available ride/park categories with labels
• Statuses: Operational status options
• Ordering Options: Sort field options with human-readable labels
• Filter Ranges: Min/max/step values for numeric filters
• Boolean Filters: Toggle filter definitions

Frontend Integration Requirements

TypeScript Integration

• All endpoints return properly typed responses
• Company model unified across parks and rides domains
• Consistent error handling patterns
• Proper pagination interface implementation

State Management Patterns

• Handle loading states during API calls
• Implement proper error boundaries for 404/500 responses
• Cache filter options to reduce API calls
• Debounce search/autocomplete queries

User Experience Recommendations

• Show loading indicators during data fetching
• Implement infinite scroll or pagination controls
• Provide clear error messages for failed requests
• Use autocomplete for company and ride model searches

Performance Optimization Strategies

• Database Queries: All endpoints use optimized select_related and prefetch_related
• Caching: Filter options can be cached client-side
• Pagination: Use appropriate page sizes (default 20, max 1000)
• Search Debouncing: Implement 300ms debounce for search queries

Testing Considerations

• Verify all endpoints return 200 status codes
• Test pagination with various page sizes
• Validate filter combinations work correctly
• Ensure search functionality returns relevant results
• Test error handling for invalid parameters

Backend Compatibility Notes

• Fully Supported: All documented endpoints are fully functional
• Real Database Queries: All responses use actual database data, no mock responses
• Consistent Response Format: All endpoints follow DRF pagination standards
• Error Handling: Proper HTTP status codes and error messages

Documentation Maintenance

This fix resolves the 501 errors and restores full functionality to both parks and rides API endpoints. All existing frontend integration patterns should continue to work without modification.

Version Information

• Fix Applied: 2025-08-31
• Django Version: Compatible with current project setup
• API Version: v1 (stable)
• Breaking Changes: None - maintains existing API contract