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How do APIs let me pull data out of business systems?
An API is a structured way for software to request data from another system. A pipeline sends a request to, for example, Xero or Shopify, authenticates, and receives the data in a format like JSON, which it then stores in a database. This replaces manual exports with repeatable, automatic extraction.
Things to know:
- Most APIs require credentials, such as OAuth tokens or API keys, which must be stored securely.
- Many limit how many requests you can make in a given time, so large pulls are paged or throttled.
- Fields and endpoints can change, so pipelines need monitoring.
- Some data, such as certain historical reports, may not be available via the API.
Always read the vendor's documentation for what the API exposes, since coverage differs between systems and plans.
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