Developer Data Guide

This documentation outlines how to consume and utilize the static JSON datasets that power the Local Government Services catalog. By relying on static JSON files rather than active backend calls, developers can achieve sub-millisecond query times and easily filter services client-side.

Data File Structure

The core application state is derived from two primary JSON files located in the /data/ directory:

• services.json The master catalogue containing all available capabilities. Each service includes a LocalAuthorityIDs array which tracks exactly which counties offer that specific service.
• service_mappings.json Contains the semantic mappings that group services by LifeEvent or ServiceTopic, enabling the Kanban view organization.

Example Service Record Format:

{
    "ReferenceID": "152",
    "Name": "Social Housing Support",
    "Description": "Apply for permission to be placed on the social housing waiting list.",
    "LocalAuthorityIDs": [1, 2, 3, 7, 10, ...], // County IDs that offer this
    "LifeEvent": ["accessing_social_housing", "finding_and_maintaining_a_home"],
    "ServiceTopic": ["housing"]
}

Life Events Vocabulary

You can filter services array elements by looking for the presence of these exact string literals in the LifeEvent attribute array. When using the API, pass these as the life_event URL parameter.

Service Topics List

Similar to Life Events, services may be universally categorized by the ServiceTopic attribute using these standard identifiers. When using the API, pass these as the topic URL parameter.

Local Authority (County) Reference Map

To find services belonging to a specific county, inspect the LocalAuthorityIDs integer array on the service objects against this table. When using the API, pass the integer ID as the county URL parameter.

Filters & API URL Parameters

The backend API provides a highly performant interface for querying the compiled service catalogue via URL parameters. This saves you from parsing the entire JSON file manually on the frontend.

// Equivalent Javascript Fetch Data call:
async function getGalwayWeatherEnvironmentServices() {
    const response = await fetch('/api/services?county=10&topic=environment&life_event=adverse_weather_event');
    const results = await response.json();
    return results;
}