Technical communities · SINGAPORE
Singapore API labs: distinguish an exact text filter from a partial match
Choose matching behaviour from the intended record set, then test contrasting text values.
By Boardzip · Published · Updated
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Start with these checks
- Participants can inspect filter operators and returned records
- The exercise supports a small contrasting test table
- The facilitator distinguishes case handling from partial matching
The problem
A junior developer in Singapore filters a practice dataset for one text value, but the result also includes longer values containing that text and the client cannot explain the difference.
Define the expected matches first
Create a tiny invented column with a target value, a longer value containing it and a value with changed capitalisation. Mark which rows your task should include. This makes two separate choices visible: whether the whole value must match and whether case should matter. Do not choose a broader operator merely because it returns something.
Read the operator’s actual contract
Data.gov.sg’s dataset-download documentation describes EQ as direct, case-sensitive comparison, LIKE as partial matching and ILIKE as the case-insensitive version of LIKE. Select the behaviour that fits your marked examples. These definitions belong to the documented service; a similarly named option in a different API needs its own contract.
- Data.gov.sg: Download dataset ↗ · Source checked
Compare one changed condition at a time
Keep the dataset, field and target text fixed while examining an operator change. Then inspect the returned values, not just the row count. A longer containing value tests partial matching; altered capitalisation tests case handling. Record any result that differs from your expectation. Do not silently normalise the input and change the operator together, because that hides which choice affected the match.
Bring the matching question to a practical lab
Prepare the invented table, expected matches and the documented operator description without credentials. Ask peers which rule expresses the requirement. Pagination addresses missing pages after a successful query; this question concerns which records satisfy the text rule. Search Boardzip for API and query exercises, then check whether participants inspect requests and results rather than only watch an application demo.
Questions and answers
Does a case-insensitive partial operator mean exact matching without case?
Under the cited documentation, ILIKE is the case-insensitive version of LIKE, so partial matching remains relevant. Establish the exact behaviour your task needs instead of treating these choices as interchangeable.
Does a successful response prove the filter is correct?
Inspect whether its records satisfy the intended matching rule. A request can succeed with a filter broader than the requirement; HTTP success alone does not decide that requirement.
Sources and further reading
These references provide the guide’s source context and further reading. They do not confirm a current event, admission or an available place; check each listing’s organiser terms for those conditions.
- Data.gov.sg: Download dataset ↗Source checked
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