Feature request: Option to remove _embedded from CollectionModel

Today, when returning a CollectionModel from any resource, it seems impossible to render it without _embedded. It’s possible to disable the deserializer though, but it makes the field to be rendered as content instead of _embedded.

The purpose of this feature request would be, then, to wrap the elements in the content field at all, and at the same time rendering the links field as usual.

[gregturn]

The _embedded attribute is a requirement for collection when you render HAL.

If you’re trying to get away from HAL, the simplest thing could be rendering directly, using Jackson, our types (CollectionModel, EntityModel, etc.).

That’s easy if you just register your own mediatype. Here’s an example:

@Bean
HypermediaMappingInformation antiqueMedia() {
	return new HypermediaMappingInformation() {
		@Override
		public List<MediaType> getMediaTypes() {
			return Arrays.asList(MediaType.parseMediaType("application/antique+json"));
		}
	};
}

This will register another mediatype, and basically clone the Jackson ObjectMapper, but without registering any special serializers. If you wish to register your own handlers for those types, look into the rest of the HypermediaMappingInformation SPI.

That would yield:

{
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "http://localhost:8080/employees"
    }
  ],
  "content": [
    {
      "name": "Frodo Baggins",
      "role": "ring bearer",
      "links": [
        {
          "rel": "self",
          "href": "http://localhost:8080/employees/0"
        },
        {
          "rel": "employees",
          "href": "http://localhost:8080/employees"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Bilbo Baggins",
      "role": "burglar",
      "links": [
        {
          "rel": "self",
          "href": "http://localhost:8080/employees/1"
        },
        {
          "rel": "employees",
          "href": "http://localhost:8080/employees"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

[odrotbohm]

I’ve commented on the StackOverflow question.