Build API (API Builder)

Explore API Builder mode

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is an interface that allows a software application to communicate with another application or service. APIs make it easier for different systems and applications to work together and exchange data.

APIs enable the transmission of data between various platforms. One application uses APIs to send or receive data from another application or service. APIs standardize this data exchange and facilitate interaction between applications.

Kuika offers API service to users with the API Builder view mode in the application. The API Builder view mode allows you to use the application you have developed with Kuika as a data source for different applications.

For example, imagine your food ordering application developed on Kuika retrieving a restaurant's menu. The API provides a specific endpoint (URL) for your app to retrieve the restaurant's menu. Your app sends a request to this URL and the API returns the restaurant's menu back to you. This way, your app can get the restaurant's menu and show it to users.

In the same way, when a user places an order, your app can forward that order to the restaurant through the API. The API will verify that the order has been transmitted to the restaurant and will send you the response from the restaurant so that it can provide feedback to the user.

Through the API Builder view mode, you can turn the applications you develop in Kuika into data sources as APIs.

API Builder supports mobile and web applications.

Create API Builder.
API Builder Panel.
API Builder Method Creation and Properties Panel.

After the API Builder is created, click the ADD NEW METHOD button in the upper right corner on the screen that opens and start creating API Builder Method by naming it. While creating a method, Properties panel is located on the right side. You can perform authorization and action addition operations using the Properties panel. You can delete or rename the methods you created at any time.

Authorization, Actions, Method Inputs fields are available in Properties panel.

Authorization

All Roles Access is used to open the API service by giving Authorization and Anonymous Access option is used for use without any verification.

Add Actions

This is the field where the actions desired to run on the platform side when the method is called are added.

Method Input

If the actions to be used contain input values, this is the field where the type, name, etc. properties of these values are entered.

API method structure can be discussed on an example scenario. For example, let's assume that there is an application with a menu. Barcode number is given as input in this application. You return the status code responsive.

First, create a new Custom Actions via the Custom Actions panel in the UI Design view mode in the application or under the Actions title you added to the data source in the Datasources view mode. This Custom actions will take an input and return a responsive value as a result.

In the SQL Editor that opens, you can manually write the desired queries or you can easily add queries with the help of artificial intelligence.

In SQL editor

Copyselect Barcode Status from Menu Where Barcode = @Barcode

After adding queries such as status inquiry, name it as status inquiry and click CREATE button. Click +ADD ACTION to call the created action into the API Method. Add the action by typing status inquiry (the action you created) in the search bar. The created action parameter must be filled in as Action Results → status inquiry (the action you created) via Symbol Picker.

Since the Barcode parameter defined with the @ sign in the SQL Editor is the API that is opened out, a Method Input must be created. Click + ADD METHOD INPUT to create the Method Input. In the Input Name field, type the parameter written with @, i.e. Barcode. Select the input type Guid and click the Create button.

The created action is ready to receive SQL queries written by taking parameters from outside. Click the Preview button to test the operations done. As a result, you can view the last API and added method operations by typing Swagger in the URL section as a result of the preview. You can set the operations to be viewed by Sign in or to be viewed by everyone from the Properties panel in the Authorization field.