> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://book.restfulnode.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://book.restfulnode.com/part-2/chapter-5/7-output-response.md).

# Output Response

The final step of our 8 step recipe is the output response. We will be following the guidelines suggested in chapter 3, [Representational Design](/part-2/chapter-3/5-representational-design.md). As mentioned in a previous section of this chapter, we'll be using [Data Transfer Objects](/part-2/chapter-5/2-input-request.md#using-data-transfer-objects) in our application to help with following those guidelines.

Just in case you are not sure why we will be using DTOs for our output response, here are 3 main reasons for using them in our project.

The **first** is that we can use them for creating a global wrapper in our code, that way we can have a consistent format being spat out as the response.

The **second** is that it can transform the output of our response. This means adding in newer properties and in some cases taking away properties that we do not want to expose.

The **third** is that it creates a contract. It creates a contract that must be obeyed because it let's the client consuming it know what should be returned.