How to connect to an API?

[Anonymous]

Hello

Can you explain please how to connect PowerBI to a database/application via its REST API?

First, what would be the form of a REST API? Would it be a url and a port?

And how can I use that to connect PowerBI to the database/application?

Last, will this connection work as any other built in connection (e.g. connection to Salesforce) or it will need me to code specific stuff for each request?

Also will it be robust? And will it need any maintenance?

Thanks!

[PhilipTreacy]

Hi @Anonymous 

You can retrieve data from a REST API by issuing HTTP requests to it, usually just to a specific URL.  I've never had to specify a port.

You need to write a query that issues the request and the form of the query depends on the API.  Some are straightforward to connect to, others require a more complicated authentication process.

You will need to study the documentation of the API you want to connect to, to understand what is required.

Once the query is written it will work as any other query, hit refresh to get the next lot of data.  Depending on what you are trying to retrieve, you may need to write more than 1 query or you could just do somethign like use parameters to get the data you want.

Further reading 

https://www.myonlinetraininghub.com/tag/power-query-api

Regards

Phil

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