🌐API Connector

The API connector enables data retrieval from REST APIs with flexible configuration options, supporting authentication, pre-requisite calls, and advanced data extraction.

Overview

Retrieve data from RESTful APIs for validation and comparison. The API connector supports:

• ✅ Multiple HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)

• ✅ Custom headers and authentication

• ✅ Complex request payloads

• ✅ Pre-requisite API dependencies

• ✅ JSONPath and XPath data extraction

• ✅ JSON, XML, and other response formats

Perfect for validating real-time data, testing API responses, and comparing data from service endpoints.

API Connection Configuration

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⚙️ Configuration Parameters

Parameter	Description	Required
Source Name	Unique identifier for the API connection	✅ Yes
Request Type	HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)	✅ Yes
URL	API endpoint address	✅ Yes
Parameters	Query parameters as key-value pairs	⚠️ Optional
Headers	Request metadata (auth, content-type)	⚠️ Optional
Body	Request payload for POST/PUT (JSON)	⚠️ Optional
Pre-requisite	Dependent API calls (up to 2 levels)	⚠️ Optional

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🚀 Step-by-Step Configuration

Step 1: Select API as Source Connection

Start by selecting API as your data source connector type.

1. Navigate to Start Job

2. Select API under Source Connection Type

3. Enter a unique Source Name (e.g., API1, CustomerAPI)

4. Click ✅ to confirm

API Source Selection

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Step 2: Configure API Request

Supply all necessary request configuration details:

Example GET Request:
├── URL: https://api.example.com/customers
├── Method: GET
├── Parameters: limit=100, offset=0
├── Headers: Authorization: Bearer {token}
└── Response: JSON array of customer objects

Configuration Fields:

1. Enter the API Endpoint URL

2. Select the appropriate Request Type

3. Add Parameters (key-value pairs) if required

4. Provide Headers for authentication or content type

5. Include JSON Body for POST/PUT requests

6. Configure Pre-requisite APIs if needed

API Configuration

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Step 3: Pre-requisite APIs (Optional)

Pre-requisite APIs are essential when the main API requires tokens or credentials with limited validity.

Use Cases:

Scenario	Solution
Token Expiration	Pre-requisite refreshes access token
Dynamic Auth	Generate new credentials on-demand
Session Setup	Establish session before main call
Data Lookup	Fetch ID before using in main request

Configuration Steps:

1. Extract Value Path – Specify JSONPath to extract values

   Examples:
   - $.access_token
   - $.body["token"]
   - $.users[0].id

2. Variable Mapping – Assign a variable name to extracted value

   Variable Name: auth_token

3. Usage in Main API – Reference with #variable_name# syntax

   Headers: Authorization: Bearer #auth_token#

Support Levels: Configure up to 2 levels of prerequisite APIs. All extracted values are available in the main API call.

Pre-requisite API Configuration

📖 Example: View API Pre-requisite Demo

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Step 4: Execute the API Call

Click Call API to execute the configured request and receive the response.

Call API

Monitor the response status code and body for errors or unexpected data.

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Step 5: Extract Data from Response

Define extraction rules to parse API responses:

JSON Extraction

Use JSONPath to extract specific fields:

// Path: $.users[0].email
// Extracts: first user's email address

// Path: $.data[*].id
// Extracts: all IDs from data array

JSONPath Reference

XML Extraction

1. Use Response Extractor to define extraction rules

2. Select Response Type (JSON, XML, etc.)

3. Apply JSONPath/XPath to extract relevant values

4. Click Extract to preview the data

Extract Data

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Step 6: Verify Extracted Data

• Click Verify to validate extracted values

• Preview the extracted dataset

• Proceed to next step if verification succeeds

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📋 Supported Response Formats

Format	Extension	Extractor	Support
JSON	.json	JSONPath	✅ Full
XML	.xml	XPath	✅ Full
CSV	.csv	Column mapping	✅ Full
Plain Text	.txt	Regex	✅ Full

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📊 JSON Data Structures

Flat JSON

Perfect for simple tabular data:

[
  {
    "UserId": "U001",
    "Food_Item": "Chicken Tenders",
    "Serving_Size_g": 574,
    "Calories": 269
  },
  {
    "UserId": "U002",
    "Food_Item": "French Fries",
    "Serving_Size_g": 450,
    "Calories": 365
  }
]

Extraction: Use direct field names or JSONPath expressions.

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Nested JSON

For hierarchical data structures:

{
  "Users": [
    {
      "UserId": "U001",
      "Details": {
        "Food_Item": "Chicken Tenders",
        "Serving_Size_g": 574,
        "Calories": 269
      }
    }
  ]
}

Extraction: Use JSONPath like $.Users[*].Details.Food_Item

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⚠️ Limitations & Constraints

Response Size Limits:

• Comparison Jobs: JSON responses > 6 MB

• Configuration Functions: Responses ≤ 6 MB

• Table Functions: Responses ≤ 6 MB

Exceeding limits may cause timeouts or errors.

Timeout Management

Scenario	Timeout	Action
Large responses	30 seconds	Use pagination
Complex extraction	30 seconds	Optimize JSONPath
Pre-requisite chain	60 seconds	Minimize call depth

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🔐 Authentication Methods

Bearer Token

Header Name: Authorization
Header Value: Bearer {your_token_here}

API Key

Basic Auth

Custom Headers

Store sensitive credentials in environment variables or secrets management systems. Never hardcode tokens in configurations.

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🎯 Common Use Cases

Real-time Data Comparison

Compare API response with database snapshot to detect discrepancies.

API Response Validation

Validate API returns correct data structure and types.

Multi-source Aggregation

Combine data from multiple APIs for comprehensive validation.

Service Health Monitoring

Regularly validate API responses for functionality and correctness.

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📚 Related Documentation

• API Pre-requisite Demo

• API to File Demo

• Data Sources Overview

• Create Compare Job