Moodle External API Development

This skill guides you through creating custom external web service APIs for Moodle LMS, following Moodle's external API framework and coding standards.

When to Use This Skill

• Creating custom web services for Moodle plugins
• Implementing REST/AJAX endpoints for course management
• Building APIs for quiz operations, user tracking, or reporting
• Exposing Moodle functionality to external applications
• Developing mobile app backends using Moodle

Core Architecture Pattern

Moodle external APIs follow a strict three-method pattern:

1. execute_parameters() - Defines input parameter structure
2. execute() - Contains business logic
3. execute_returns() - Defines return structure

Step-by-Step Implementation

Step 1: Create the External API Class File

Location: /local/yourplugin/classes/external/your_api_name.php

<?php
namespace local_yourplugin\external;

defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
require_once("$CFG->libdir/externallib.php");

use external_api;
use external_function_parameters;
use external_single_structure;
use external_value;

class your_api_name extends external_api {
    
    // Three required methods will go here
    
}

Key Points:

• Class must extend external_api
• Namespace follows: local_pluginname\external or mod_modname\external
• Include the security check: defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
• Require externallib.php for base classes

Step 2: Define Input Parameters

public static function execute_parameters() {
    return new external_function_parameters([
        'userid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'User ID', VALUE_REQUIRED),
        'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Course ID', VALUE_REQUIRED),
        'options' => new external_single_structure([
            'includedetails' => new external_value(PARAM_BOOL, 'Include details', VALUE_DEFAULT, false),
            'limit' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Result limit', VALUE_DEFAULT, 10)
        ], 'Options', VALUE_OPTIONAL)
    ]);
}

Common Parameter Types:

• PARAM_INT - Integers
• PARAM_TEXT - Plain text (HTML stripped)
• PARAM_RAW - Raw text (no cleaning)
• PARAM_BOOL - Boolean values
• PARAM_FLOAT - Floating point numbers
• PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT - Alphanumeric with extended chars

Structures:

• external_value - Single value
• external_single_structure - Object with named fields
• external_multiple_structure - Array of items

Value Flags:

• VALUE_REQUIRED - Parameter must be provided
• VALUE_OPTIONAL - Parameter is optional
• VALUE_DEFAULT, defaultvalue - Optional with default

Step 3: Implement Business Logic

public static function execute($userid, $courseid, $options = []) {
    global $DB, $USER;

    // 1. Validate parameters
    $params = self::validate_parameters(self::execute_parameters(), [
        'userid' => $userid,
        'courseid' => $courseid,
        'options' => $options
    ]);

    // 2. Check permissions/capabilities
    $context = \context_course::instance($params['courseid']);
    self::validate_context($context);
    require_capability('moodle/course:view', $context);

    // 3. Verify user access
    if ($params['userid'] != $USER->id) {
        require_capability('moodle/course:viewhiddenactivities', $context);
    }

    // 4. Database operations
    $sql = "SELECT id, name, timecreated
            FROM {your_table}
            WHERE userid = :userid
              AND courseid = :courseid
            LIMIT :limit";
    
    $records = $DB->get_records_sql($sql, [
        'userid' => $params['userid'],
        'courseid' => $params['courseid'],
        'limit' => $params['options']['limit']
    ]);

    // 5. Process and return data
    $results = [];
    foreach ($records as $record) {
        $results[] = [
            'id' => $record->id,
            'name' => $record->name,
            'timestamp' => $record->timecreated
        ];
    }

    return [
        'items' => $results,
        'count' => count($results)
    ];
}

Critical Steps:

1. Always validate parameters using validate_parameters()
2. Check context using validate_context()
3. Verify capabilities using require_capability()
4. Use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection
5. Return structured data matching return definition

Step 4: Define Return Structure

public static function execute_returns() {
    return new external_single_structure([
        'items' => new external_multiple_structure(
            new external_single_structure([
                'id' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Item ID'),
                'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'Item name'),
                'timestamp' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Creation time')
            ])
        ),
        'count' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Total items')
    ]);
}

Return Structure Rules:

• Must match exactly what execute() returns
• Use appropriate parameter types
• Document each field with description
• Nested structures allowed

Step 5: Register the Service

Location: /local/yourplugin/db/services.php

<?php
defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();

$functions = [
    'local_yourplugin_your_api_name' => [
        'classname'   => 'local_yourplugin\external\your_api_name',
        'methodname'  => 'execute',
        'classpath'   => 'local/yourplugin/classes/external/your_api_name.php',
        'description' => 'Brief description of what this API does',
        'type'        => 'read',  // or 'write'
        'ajax'        => true,
        'capabilities'=> 'moodle/course:view', // comma-separated if multiple
        'services'    => [MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE] // Optional
    ],
];

$services = [
    'Your Plugin Web Service' => [
        'functions' => [
            'local_yourplugin_your_api_name'
        ],
        'restrictedusers' => 0,
        'enabled' => 1
    ]
];

Service Registration Keys:

• classname - Full namespaced class name
• methodname - Always 'execute'
• type - 'read' (SELECT) or 'write' (INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE)
• ajax - Set true for AJAX/REST access
• capabilities - Required Moodle capabilities
• services - Optional service bundles

Step 6: Implement Error Handling & Logging

private static function log_debug($message) {
    global $CFG;
    $logdir = $CFG->dataroot . '/local_yourplugin';
    if (!file_exists($logdir)) {
        mkdir($logdir, 0777, true);
    }
    $debuglog = $logdir . '/api_debug.log';
    $timestamp = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
    file_put_contents($debuglog, "[$timestamp] $message\n", FILE_APPEND | LOCK_EX);
}

public static function execute($userid, $courseid) {
    global $DB;

    try {
        self::log_debug("API called: userid=$userid, courseid=$courseid");
        
        // Validate parameters
        $params = self::validate_parameters(self::execute_parameters(), [
            'userid' => $userid,
            'courseid' => $courseid
        ]);

        // Your logic here
        
        self::log_debug("API completed successfully");
        return $result;

    } catch (\invalid_parameter_exception $e) {
        self::log_debug("Parameter validation failed: " . $e->getMessage());
        throw $e;
    } catch (\moodle_exception $e) {
        self::log_debug("Moodle exception: " . $e->getMessage());
        throw $e;
    } catch (\Exception $e) {
        // Log detailed error info
        $lastsql = method_exists($DB, 'get_last_sql') ? $DB->get_last_sql() : '[N/A]';
        self::log_debug("Fatal error: " . $e->getMessage());
        self::log_debug("Last SQL: " . $lastsql);
        self::log_debug("Stack trace: " . $e->getTraceAsString());
        throw $e;
    }
}

Error Handling Best Practices:

• Wrap logic in try-catch blocks
• Log errors with timestamps and context
• Capture SQL queries on database errors
• Preserve stack traces for debugging
• Re-throw excepti