REST API Browser

What is an API?

API (Application Programming Interface) is defined as an interface or medium through which one software communicates with another. In other words, it is a set of contracts that allows different software systems to share information with each other. The greatest advantage of an API is that different programs and devices can communicate with each other in a secure manner, without interference.

APIs are messengers that conform to the technical contract between two parties. They are language and platform-independent, which means C# can talk to Java, and Unix can communicate with Mac without any difficulty. An API is not the same as a remote server. In fact, it is a part of a remote server that receives requests and sends responses. More precisely, an API is a structured request and response.

REST API Browser in Astera

The REST API Browser in Astera has narrowed down the steps to make HTTP calls using just one step authentication. Once you have imported an API in Astera, all call methods in that particular API are populated at once. API definition describes what requests are available and what the responses will look like. So, once you load an API definition, all supported methods are populated in the REST API Browser. Unlike Legacy, where all supported methods have to be configured separately in each object.

There are two methods of configuring APIs in Astera. For open APIs, you only need to provide the API Import Source and File Path or Base URL to configure the connection with a specific API. Once this standardized information is provided, any API that you have imported will populate in Astera's REST API Browser, along with their methods, for example, GET, PUT, POST, PATCH and DELETE, and they will remain accessible until their authentication period expires. From the REST API Browser in Astera, you can simply drag-and-drop operations, and use them in your dataflow or workflow.

It is important to note that a REST Client Project must be created before importing APIs to work with the REST API Browser in Astera. However, you can access the API without a project too. For that, you would need a REST Connection object in your dataflow or workflow.

The REST API Browser in Astera, along with all of its features and functionalities, works only within the scope of an integration project. Otherwise, it will give you the following error:

When a user imports an API, a shared connection file is created within the project automatically. The shared action file contains the Base URL of the imported API.

HTTP Request Methods

Astera supports the following HTTP request methods:

PUT: To send data or parameters to a specified resource to be processed on an API.
GET: To retrieve data from a specified resource on an API.
POST: To create or update an existing record on an API.
DELETE: To delete a specified resource on an API.
PATCH: To apply partial modifications to an existing resource.

Creating a REST Client Project for REST API Browser

To work with REST API Browser in Astera, you must first create a REST Client Project.

Follow the steps below to create a REST Client Project in Astera:

Go to Menu Bar > Project > New > REST Client Project.

Provide a name to the REST Client Project and point the path to the location and directory where you want to save it.

Best Practice: Always create a new project in a new folder to avoid any errors.

Now, open the REST API Browser panel on your Astera client from Menu Bar > View > REST API Browser.

Once selected, a REST API Browser panel will open on the left side of your Astera client window.

Here, you can see three icons in the toolbar of the REST API Browser:

Import API – By clicking this option, you can import different APIs
Remove API from Browser – This option removes the selected API from the REST API Browser
Edit Properties - This option allows you to change the name of the REST API Browser panel that appears on the top and bottom of the panel
Open REST API Connection - This option allows you to directly open the .sact file for the API you have in the REST API Browser panel at that time
Refresh API Tree - This option allows you to redraw the browser tree after you have deleted some operations or you have expanded the tree and now you want to collapse it

How to Import APIs in Astera

To import an API in Astera, click the Import API icon. An Import API screen will open.

Here, first, you need to select the API Import Source type from the drop-down menu. Astera offers three ways to import APIs.

Type 1 – JSON/YML File

JSON/YML File – For this type of API source you only need to provide the Open API Specification File Path in JSON or YML file formats.

Specify the File Path and click OK.

This API will be populated in the REST API Browser panel from where you can simply expand the nodes and drag-and-drop methods onto your designer window.

Type 2 – JSON/YML URL