public function serve_request() {

		do_action( 'woocommerce_api_server_before_serve', $this );

		$this->header( 'Content-Type', $this->handler->get_content_type(), true );

		// the API is enabled by default
		if ( ! apply_filters( 'woocommerce_api_enabled', true, $this ) || ( 'no' === get_option( 'woocommerce_api_enabled' ) ) ) {

			$this->send_status( 404 );

			echo $this->handler->generate_response( array( 'errors' => array( 'code' => 'woocommerce_api_disabled', 'message' => 'The WooCommerce API is disabled on this site' ) ) );

			return;
		}

		$result = $this->check_authentication();

		// if authorization check was successful, dispatch the request
		if ( ! is_wp_error( $result ) ) {
			$result = $this->dispatch();
		}

		// handle any dispatch errors
		if ( is_wp_error( $result ) ) {
			$data = $result->get_error_data();
			if ( is_array( $data ) && isset( $data['status'] ) ) {
				$this->send_status( $data['status'] );
			}

			$result = $this->error_to_array( $result );
		}

		// This is a filter rather than an action, since this is designed to be
		// re-entrant if needed
		$served = apply_filters( 'woocommerce_api_serve_request', false, $result, $this );

		if ( ! $served ) {

			if ( 'HEAD' === $this->method ) {
				return;
			}

			echo $this->handler->generate_response( $result );
		}
	}