Getting Started With the API
- Applies to:
- All MindTouch Versions
- Role required:
- Admin
Why Do I Need the API?
CXone Expert provides out of the box, easily configurable, integrations in the form of Touchpoints. Touchpoints extend your content into other web applications, CRM's, or websites. However, the Expert API can integrate with applications and systems without a web presentation, such as voice assistants and IoT devices. In addition, integrations with publishing automation systems, user management, and translation management systems can be desirable when CXone Expert becomes a critical piece of your organization's business.
These types of integrations typically require more complexity and application programming skills. While the API can be easily used to quickly fetch or update content on the fly, it's value is realized when integrations unlock the ability to extend functionality into key parts of an organization.
Technical Details
The API is organized around REST, and is located at the /@api/deki relative URL on an Expert site.
https://example.com/@api/deki
Every resource on the site (pages, users, groups, etc.) is available through the API. Authenticated site users can access the API, through the web browser, once they have signed into the site. System and application integrations require the use of API Tokens to access the API.
HTTPS
API communication is secured with HTTPS. It can be accessed privately and securely by HTTPS compatible clients such as a web browser. The API domain (an Expert site domain) and any additional domains that are required for integrations must be trusted by the HTTPS compatible client or integration. In order to avoid disruptions when SSL/TLS certificates are rotated for these domains, it is highly recommended to trust certificate authority (CA) root and intermediate certificates, as opposed to the domain's server certificate.
In addition to the site domain, integrations with the API rely on HTTPS communication with the following domains:
- *.cloudfront.net
- files.mtstatic.com
Responses
The default HTTP response content type is application/xml; charset=utf-8, but an application/json; charset=utf-8 response is possible if API requests include a dream.out.format=json HTTP query parameter.
// XML-encoded response
https://example.com/@api/deki/pages/{id}/info
// JSON-encoded response
https://example.com/@api/deki/pages/{id}/info?dream.out.format=json
Some API endpoints may, by default, respond with a application/json; charset=utf-8 media type or an alternative media type. These defaults are noted in the documentation for those specific API endpoints.
Status Codes
CXone Expert uses conventional HTTP response status codes to indicate the success or failure of an API request. Status codes in the 2xx range indicate successful requests. Status codes in the 4xx range indicate a problem with the request such as a missing URL query parameter or invalid HTTP body format. Status codes in the 5xx range indicate an unexpected, internal problem with the API and can be reported to the CXone Expert Support Team.
On rare occasions, an API endpoint is deprecated and removed. If it is replaced with a new endpoint, under most circumstances, the old endpoint will redirect to the new endpoint. In order for backward compatibility to be maintained, it is important that API clients follow the Location HTTP Header, if a 3xx range status code is returned in an HTTP response.
| Name | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| OK | 200 | The request was processed and completed successfully |
| Accepted | 201 | The request was accepted successfully and will be processed in a queue |
| Non-Authoritative Information | 203 | The request was accepted, however, due to processing errors, the response contains partially complete data |
| Moved Permanently | 301 | The API endpoint was deprecated and replaced with a new location |
| Found | 302 | After processing the request, the resource to be returned is located at different URL |
| Bad Request | 400 | Invalid or missing request URL query parameter, invalid HTTP body format, or invalid or missing HTTP body parameter value |
| Unauthorized | 401 | A request to the authentication API endpoint failed |
| Forbidden | 403 | The requested resource is not accessible to due to a permission check or invalid authorization |
| Not Found | 404 | The requested resource could not be found |
| Not Allowed | 405 | The API endpoint does not support the HTTP method in the request. |
| Gone | 410 | The API endpoint was deprecated and was not replaced with a new location |
Errors
There are two possible error response formats that can be received from the API. The use of these formats varies between errors and API endpoints, therefore your API integration must be developed to handle both formats. Some response fields have been removed from these examples, as they contain internal metadata that is irrelevant to API integrations.
Default Error Format
<error>
<exception>{exception}</exception>
<message>{message}</message>
</error>
Legacy Error Format (Deprecated)
<error>
<status>{status}</status>
<title>{title}</title>
<message>{message}</message>
<uri>{uri}</uri>
</error>
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| {exception} | string | A unique, namespaced key that identifies the error |
| {message} | string | The description of the error or explanation of the problem |
| {status} | int | The HTTP status code (ex: 400) |
| {title} | string | The HTTP status name (ex: Bad Request) |
| {uri} | string | The API endpoint URL |