Add htmx to a go backend using Json REST

[misty bronze]

My problem is that I don't want to create a mess in my backend.
Here's how the http handler looks right now.

func (h logisticsHandler) getItem(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    id, err := strconv.ParseInt(chi.URLParam(r, "id"), 10, 64)
    if err != nil {
        return
    }

    item, _ := h.service.GetItem(r.Context(), id)

    res := newItemReponse(item)
    render.JSON(w, r, res)
}
```It only supports Json, but now HTMX would require me to also return html. I guess I could create a new handler that handles the requests on a different route, but then I have to do all the extraction and user auth twice. 

So then I had the idea to use `?type=json` param and return json by default... but I also don't like that.

Then I had the idea to switch based on the request headers, HTMX apparently sets `hx-header` to true. Maybe I switch and check if it exists and either return html or josn?

But it all feels like code clutter?

Thinking about it again, it's not even possible. If the user just visits the route ther won't be a hx header present.

So how am I supposed to manage all of this?

[zinc summit]

The best way to handle this is to allow the client to specify the content types its interested in

A client that wants json should ask for Accept: application/json or some other suitable mime type.

A browser or other client meant for humans will ask for Accept: text/html (among others)

This concept is usually referred to as "content negotiation" which you can learn more about here: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Content_negotiation

[misty bronze]

Ok, but right now all my json endpoints are at api/, wouldn't take much sense to have the user request html from those pages, right?

It guess it would make sense if the endpoint would just return the actual html of an item and not the entire webpage

But I don't see how that would be possible.