How to Connect to Any REST API (Without Writing Any Code)
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REST APIs are supposed to be easy to build and use – so why are they so complicated to figure out? There’s a lot to think about when it comes to APIs. The different methods of authentication, error handling, security, and the coding required. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by APIs and how to connect to your preferred application, we can help. Because ultimately, APIs can make you operate more efficiently, provide opportunities for automation, give you access to new data, and make your enterprise more agile. With FME, you get all the benefits of APIs without ever having to code. It’s one of the most customizable solutions. Learn how to get started in this webinar.
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How to Connect to Any REST API (Without Writing Any Code)
- 1. How to Connect to Any REST API (Without Writing Any Code)
- 2. Meet the Presenters Sienna Emery Laura Wu Sanae Mendoza
- 3. Agenda What we’re covering today. ● What is a REST API? ○ Benefits of using APIs ○ Reading API documentation ● FME Overview ○ Using APIs in FME ○ Transforming your API Data ● Authentication in APIs ○ Types of authentication used in APIs ● Automating API Workflows ○ Building no code web applications ○ Scheduling API workflows ● Q&A and Wrap Up
- 4. Why Use APIs? Ever needed to download a report from an online service but were tired of manually logging in and fetching the same data over and over again? Users often want to access APIs so that they can: ● Automate manual processes ● Fetch the most up to date data ● Send data to the web ● Integrate applications
- 5. What is an API? Application Programming Interface APIs can be used to request specific data, update records, or even delete records programmatically.
- 6. Important API Terminology ● REST- a common type of API, has a uniform structure, uses a URL to call a resource ● HTTP Method- determines the action you are using. ● Request Headers- gives context to the call. What data type is being sent? ● Request Body- specifies the information to be modified, created, or deleted
- 7. Example API Documentation API documentation should tell you everything you need to know! HTTP Method Request URL Request Headers Request Body
- 8. Benefits of REST APIs Automatically send data to a web service. Create reports using the most up to date data possible. Integrate multiple datasets from multiple services.
- 9. Accessing APIs with No Code How can you access an Application Programming Interface without programming? Third party tools! Third party tools can allow users to access APIs without needing to write any code. Today we will be discussing FME, however the basics of accessing APIs will be the same no matter what tool you use.
- 10. Connect Data between 450+ systems Extend Capabilities with custom connections, transformers, R & Python Run Workflows locally or publish to FME Server FME Desktop Quickly author repeatable, self-documenting data integration workflows using an intuitive visual interface. No coding required.
- 12. Built in options
- 13. Powerful API Transformers Typically most workflows in FME begin with a Reader that initiates the workflow. However, since most APIs use the HTTPCaller as the Reader. The Creator is used to kick off the workflow. The HTTPCaller is where the call to the REST API is handled. Most REST APIs return JSON. JSON can be parsed in the JSON fragmenter.
- 14. Traffic Data Demo The Goal I’d like up to date traffic data tailored to my commute The Obstacles I can look up this information online but I might get a lot of unnecessary information. The Solution I will use FME to get the data directly from the Drive BC API The Result Using FME I can get a custom HTML report with data from my commute
- 15. Demo
- 17. Why API Authentication Matters. Authentication: Verifies your identity before you can make a request. Authorization: Verifies that you are allowed to make that request. Authentication protects an API’s data, resources and functionality.
- 18. Authenticating with FME. HTTP Authentication Protocols ● Basic: Sends credentials, unencrypted. ● Digest: Sends credentials, encrypted. ● NTLM: Like Digest, but more secure. Built for Windows. Even More Ways to Authenticate…. ● API keys: Sends a unique identifier for a app. ● Web Tokens: Sends a unique identifier for a user. ● OAuth 2.0: Gets app access, without sharing your credentials.
- 19. Web Connections What are they? ● A safe and convenient way to store and reuse your connection parameters ● A secure, named container to use in your workflows ● Use with all supported authentication protocols OAuth 2.0 Authentication and Web Services ● Register with Web Services from FME Desktop ○ Google Suite, Microsoft Sharepoint, Autodesk, Dropbox, Slack…. ○ Custom connections
- 20. OAuth 2.0 Authorization Using FME to log into your into web services, directly. Creating a brand new Web Connection with OAuth 2.0 If we don’t ship it, create your own! Tutorial: Creating Web Connections in FME Using OAuth 2.0
- 21. Where to Find Web Connections. From Inside FME Workbench. From FME Hub.
- 22. Setting up the HTTPCaller to use Authentication 1. Select “Use Authentication” 2. Choose your Authentication Type 3. Enter your user parameters. 4. Start making API Calls
- 23. What Authentication Type does this API use? Always check the API documentation!
- 24. What Authentication Type does this API use? Always check the API documentation!
- 25. In this demo.... The Goal Use the Movebank database to request and display Bald Eagle migratory patterns. The Unknowns How do you connect and authenticate to the Movebank API? How can I format and stream the data back? The Solution Use the HTTPCaller Transformer to connect to the API. Use transformers to parse and display the response. The Result A workspace that can connect to the Movebank database on demand, to stream back Bald Eagle migratory area.
- 26. Demo
- 27. Automating API Driven Workflows What if these workflows need to be run frequently? Avoid manual effort and automate them! ● Schedule jobs that need to run frequently ● Run in response to events in real time ● Create apps to run jobs on-demand
- 28. Build Schedules, applications and automations using a visual interface Scale To process massive amounts of data Eliminate The effects of data gravity by deploying engines close to the source FME Server Scale up processing power on-prem or in the cloud, and enable event-driven automations using a web user interface.
- 29. Web Connections on FME Server ● When uploading a Workspace to FME Server, you can also choose to publish any web connections used within it
- 30. Web Connections on FME Server ● Once published, web connections can be managed on FME Server similarly to managing within Workbench
- 31. Automations and APIs ● Schedule Trigger to run any workspace that connects to an API
- 32. Automations and APIs ● React to events in real time with additional Trigger types ○ Directory modified ○ Email received ○ Webhook triggered
- 33. Demo
- 34. No Code Web Apps to Connect to APIs Allow end-users to run workflows on-demand - Get the data you need when you need it Customize requests with User Parameters
- 35. Create a Server app that calls an API Building an App in FME Server is a simple process with no coding needed! Simply choose your Workspace... … and customize your App
- 36. Tips - Published parameters can be used to get user input for the API calls you make. Two particularly useful parameter types are: - Web Connections: Change the credentials the workflow will use - Geometry Parameter: Select a location on a map to pass into the workflow
- 37. In this demo... The Goal Create an easy to use App to allow users to download data from the US Census API The Obstacles My users don’t have FME Workbench to run the workspace I’ve built. I don’t have time to write code to build this App The Solution Use an FME Server App to give users access to run this job to download the data they need when they need it. The Result Created a simple web app where my users can select a location on a map and download data for that area from the US Census API
- 38. Demo
- 39. Important Considerations when connecting to an API ● REST APIs can be deprecated or updated. Try getting on an email list for developers if you rely on the resource. ● Authentication can change and passwords can expire ● FME Server can be used to alert you if a job fails due to a change in the REST API
- 40. Try it yourself! Download FME Examine the API documentation of your chosen resource Try creating your own workflow using our templates Free Trial | Upgrade
- 41. Resources ● Getting Started with REST APIs ● FME Server REST API Training ● FME Hub ● Creating Web Connections ● The Ultimate Guide to APIs
- 42. Come one, come all from May 4 - 14! Discover tips & tricks, the newest updates, and innovative ways to use FME. FME World Fair 2021 safe.com/world-fair
- 43. Thank you! Get a free trial of FME at safe.com/trial Questions?