The API Dashboard is a comprehensive graphical interface, accessible in LexiFi Web, that helps users discover, construct, manage, and execute API calls efficiently.
With the integration of tokens, endpoints, URLs, and JSON formatting, the Dashboard serves as an all-in-one solution for designing and setting up API requests.
- Token management: Users can choose between a fixed token or individual tokens per endpoint. The latter improves security by allowing each user to define unique tokens for different functions.
- Endpoint selection: The API Dashboard helps users identify the correct endpoint and the specific features tied to it.
- JSON formatting: One of the core benefits of the API Dashboard is its ability to help users define the correct JSON format for each endpoint, ensuring requests are properly constructed. The Dashboard provides a GUI that allows to edit easily the argument of a given API call, generating then a syntactically correct JSON description of the edited value.
- Automation: by using the API Dashboard, users can automate the creation of API requests and integrate them into scripts, streamlining workflows and reducing manual effort.
đź’ˇIntegration with Swagger
The API Dashboard utilizes Swagger to provide interactive and comprehensive documentation of available APIs. Swagger simplifies the integration process by offering clear outlines of endpoints, required parameters, and response formats. Users can test API calls directly within Swagger’s interface, enhancing understanding and facilitating real-time experimentation with the API functionalities.
- API documentation: Swagger automatically generates clear, detailed documentation that outlines each API’s endpoints, required parameters, request/response formats, and authentication methods. This documentation significantly aids in the integration and use of LexiFi’s APIs.
- Interactive testing: with Swagger’s interactive interface, users can experiment with API calls in real-time, making it easier to understand how to construct requests and what responses to expect. This is particularly valuable for users who may not be familiar with API interactions.
Addressing complexity with API Helpers
Two of the most frequently used endpoints in LexiFi’s API ecosystem are:
- Grid Report: this is the most utilized endpoint, offering users the ability to generate complex, customizable reports.
- Document Generation: this endpoint automates the creation of documents based on specified parameters and templates.
However, many users struggle with converting their inputs into the correct JSON format required by these two endpoints.
For users who may find it challenging to convert their inputs into the required format for the API, LexiFi has introduced API Helpers. These tools simplify the process by assisting users in configuring their inputs to match the endpoint’s requirements. For instance, if a user needs to change a specific parameter, such as a date, in a request for grid reporting, they can use the Desktop API Helpers to make this adjustment. By clicking on the relevant fields, users can adjust parameters like dates and other inputs directly in the Application Desktop. The API Helpers then automatically configure the request, providing the correct JSON format for the user.
The following video demonstrates how to update the end date of a Grid Report and then use the API helper in the Desktop application to generate a new JSON file within the API Dashboard.
