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Endpoint

GET /api/open-classrooms
Returns all classroom availability data organized by building. This endpoint provides information about which classrooms are currently available and their schedule for the day.

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Request

This endpoint does not require any parameters.
cURL
curl https://emptyclassroom-production.up.railway.app/api/open-classrooms

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Response

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buildings
object
required
Dictionary of buildings keyed by building code
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last_updated
string | null
required
ISO 8601 timestamp of when the data was last refreshed, or null if never updated

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Response Example

{
  "buildings": {
    "CAS": {
      "code": "CAS",
      "name": "College of Arts & Sciences",
      "classrooms": [
        {
          "id": "342",
          "name": "116",
          "availability": [
            {
              "start": "09:00:00",
              "end": "10:30:00"
            },
            {
              "start": "14:00:00",
              "end": "16:30:00"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "344",
          "name": "201",
          "availability": [
            {
              "start": "11:00:00",
              "end": "12:00:00"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    "CGS": {
      "code": "CGS",
      "name": "College of General Studies",
      "classrooms": [
        {
          "id": "719",
          "name": "129",
          "availability": []
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "last_updated": "2026-03-03T14:30:00-05:00"
}

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Behavior

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Caching

This endpoint implements intelligent caching:
  1. Cache Hit: If data is available in Redis cache, it returns immediately
  2. Cache Miss: If no cached data exists, it fetches fresh data from the upstream source, caches it for 24 hours, and updates the last_updated timestamp

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Data Organization

The response includes all configured buildings, even if they have no classrooms or all classrooms are busy. Buildings currently supported:
  • CAS - College of Arts & Sciences (7 AM - 11 PM business hours)
  • CGS - College of General Studies (7 AM - 9:30 PM business hours)

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Availability Calculation

Time slots in the availability array represent gaps of at least 30 minutes between scheduled classes. Shorter gaps are not included to ensure meaningful study time.

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Error Responses

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500 Internal Server Error
Returns an empty object {} if there’s an error fetching or processing classroom data. The error is logged server-side.
Error Response
{}
Unlike other endpoints, this endpoint returns an empty object instead of a standard error response to ensure the frontend can always render safely.

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Use Cases

  • Display current classroom availability in a web or mobile app
  • Find study spaces on campus
  • Analyze classroom utilization patterns
  • Build scheduling or wayfinding tools

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Notes

  • Empty availability arrays indicate the classroom is fully booked for the day
  • The last_updated field is shared across all classrooms (data is refreshed as a batch)
  • Classroom IDs are unique identifiers used by BU’s scheduling system
  • Times are in Eastern Time (America/New_York timezone)

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