Request Examples

Learn the fundamentals of request examples in FastAPI.

🎯 Core Concept

Request examples in Pydantic models provide sample data in Swagger UI. They help API consumers understand what data to send and improve API documentation automatically.

📖 What You'll Learn

In this section, you'll understand:

• Adding examples to Pydantic models

• Field examples for specific values

• Schema examples for complex structures

• Documentation improvements

• How examples display in Swagger UI

💡 Model with Examples

from fastapi import FastAPI
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field

app = FastAPI()

class Item(BaseModel):
    name: str = Field(..., example="Widget")
    price: float = Field(..., example=9.99, gt=0)
    description: str = Field(None, example="A useful widget")

@app.post("/items/")
async def create_item(item: Item):
    return item

🔍 Config Examples

from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict

class Item(BaseModel):
    model_config = ConfigDict(
        json_schema_extra={
            "example": {
                "name": "Widget",
                "price": 9.99,
                "description": "A useful widget"
            }
        }
    )
    name: str
    price: float
    description: str = None

Real-World Usage

Examples are critical for:

• **API documentation**: Swagger UI shows sample data

• **Developer experience**: Clear data format examples

• **Testing**: Copy examples to test manually

• **Integration**: Developers understand payload structure

🔑 Key Takeaways

• ✅ Understand the purpose of request examples

• ✅ Know when to apply this pattern

• ✅ Recognize its benefits in real-world scenarios

• ✅ Be prepared to use it in your projects

Ready to explore more? Check out the advanced section for production patterns and edge cases.