feathersjs · daffl · Apr 8, 2014 · Apr 8, 2014
diff --git a/lib/feathers.js b/lib/feathers.js
@@ -13,12 +13,16 @@ var providers = require('./providers');
  * @api public
  */
 
-function createApplication() {
+function createApplication(config) {
   var app = express();
   Proto.mixin(Application, app);
   app.init();
+
   // Add REST provider by default, can always be disabled using app.disable('feathers rest')
-  app.use(express.urlencoded()).use(express.json()).configure(providers.rest());
+  if(!config || config.rest) {
+    app.use(express.urlencoded()).use(express.json()).configure(providers.rest());
+  }
+
   return app;
 }
 

diff --git a/lib/providers/rest/index.js b/lib/providers/rest/index.js
@@ -1,19 +1,22 @@
 'use strict';
 
-var _ = require('lodash');
 var wrappers = require('./wrappers');
 
 module.exports = function (config) {
   config = config || {};
 
-  var responder = config.responder || function (req, res) {
-    res.format(_.extend({
+  var handler = config.handler || function (req, res) {
+    res.format({
       'application/json': function () {
         res.json(res.data);
       }
-    }, config.formatters));
+    });
   };
 
+  if(typeof config === 'function') {
+    handler = config;
+  }
+
   return function () {
     var app = this;
 
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ module.exports = function (config) {
         // PATCH /:id -> service.patch(id, data, params, callback)
         .patch(uri + '/:id', app.rest.patch(service));
 
-      app.use(uri, responder);
+      app.use(uri, handler);
     });
   };
 };
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
@@ -29,6 +29,32 @@ app.use('/todos', {
 });
 ```
 
+The default REST handler is a middleware that formats the data retrieved by the service as JSON. REST handling will be set up automatically when calling `var app = feathers()`. If you would like to configure the REST provider yourself, call `var app = feathers({ rest: false });`.
+
+Then you can configure it manually and add your own `handler` middleware that, for example just renders plain text with the todo description (`res.data` contains the data returned by the service):
+
+```js
+var app = feathers({ rest: false });
+
+app.use(feathers.urlencoded()).use(feathers.json())
+  .configure(feathers.rest(function restFormatter(req, res) {
+    res.format({
+      'text/plain': function() {
+        res.end('The todo is: ' + res.data.description);
+      }
+    });
+  }))
+  .use('/todo', {
+    get: function (id, params, callback) {
+      callback(null, { description: 'You have to do ' + id });
+    }
+  });
+```
+
+__Note:__ When configuring REST this way, you *have* to add `app.use(feathers.urlencoded()).use(feathers.json())` to support request body parsing.
+
+If you want to add other middleware *before* the REST handler, simply call `app.use(middleware)` before configuring the handler.
+
 ### SocketIO
 
 To expose services via [SocketIO](http://socket.io/) call `app.configure(feathers.socketio())`. It is also possible pass a `function(io) {}` when initializing the provider where `io` is the main SocketIO object. Since Feathers is only using the SocketIO default configuration, this is a good spot to initialize the [recommended production settings](https://github.com/LearnBoost/Socket.IO/wiki/Configuring-Socket.IO#recommended-production-settings):

diff --git a/test/providers/rest.test.js b/test/providers/rest.test.js
@@ -141,16 +141,16 @@ describe('REST provider', function () {
     });
   });
 
-  it('throws a 405 for undefined service methods', function(done) {
+  it('throws a 405 for undefined service methods', function (done) {
     var app = feathers().use('todo', {
-        get: function(id, params, callback) {
-          callback(null, { description: 'You have to do ' + id });
-        }
-      });
+      get: function (id, params, callback) {
+        callback(null, { description: 'You have to do ' + id });
+      }
+    });
 
     /* jshint ignore:start */
     // Error handler
-    app.use(function(error, req, res, next) {
+    app.use(function (error, req, res, next) {
       assert.equal(error.message, 'Can not call service method .find');
       res.json({ message: error.message });
     });
@@ -168,4 +168,56 @@ describe('REST provider', function () {
       });
     });
   });
+
+  it('disables REST and lets you set the handler manually', function(done) {
+    var app = feathers({ rest: false });
+
+    app.configure(feathers.rest(function restFormatter(req, res) {
+        res.format({
+          'text/plain': function() {
+            res.end('The todo is: ' + res.data.description);
+          }
+        });
+      }))
+      .use('/todo', {
+        get: function (id, params, callback) {
+          callback(null, { description: 'You have to do ' + id });
+        }
+      });
+
+    var server = app.listen(4776);
+    request('http://localhost:4776/todo/dishes', function (error, response, body) {
+      assert.equal(body, 'The todo is: You have to do dishes');
+      server.close(done);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('Lets you configure your own middleware before the handler (#40)', function(done) {
+    var data = { description: 'Do dishes!', id: 'dishes' };
+    var app = feathers({ rest: false });
+
+    app.use(function defaultContentTypeMiddleware (req, res, next) {
+      req.headers['content-type'] = req.headers['content-type'] || 'application/json';
+      next();
+    })
+    .use(feathers.urlencoded())
+    .use(feathers.json())
+    .configure(feathers.rest())
+    .use('/todo', {
+      create: function (data, params, callback) {
+        callback(null, data);
+      }
+    });
+
+    var server = app.listen(4775);
+    request({
+      method: 'POST',
+      url: 'http://localhost:4775/todo',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify(data)
+    }, function (error, response, body) {
+      assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(body), data);
+      server.close(done);
+    });
+  });
 });