Highlights
| Overview | Basic HTTP authentication is an authentication method that requires valid credentials to be passed as part of the API call. In most cases, requesters need to provide a username and password in the URL request. Requesters receive a key in return that is used as either a query or a header parameter. |
Required fields
| Username | Credentials that identify your account |
| Password | Verifies the authenticity of your account |
Connecting to your data using the REST/URL connector
To connect to your data using the REST/URL connector, you need to do the following:
- Write a query (request URL) by referring to the service provider's developer documentation.
- Create and save a data feed.
Step 1: Write an API query
Begin by going to the developer documentation for the service provider you would like to retrieve data from. Some API connection requests are free and open to the public, however, depending on the service provider, you may need to:
- Have an account with the service provider.
- Contact the service provider to grant you API request permissions.
- Contact the service provider to receive an authentication token.
- Pay an API access fee.
Step 2: Create and save a data feed
To create and save a data feed:
- Click the + button beside Data Feeds in the left navigation sidebar.
- Click Select data.
- On the Where is your data? page, select the REST/URL tile.
- On the Configure data service page, paste the URL call from the REST/URL into the Query URL field.
- Choose the appropriate Data format (XML, CSV, Excel, or JSON).
- Expand the Authentication (OAuth, 2-Step, X-WSSE, or Basic) menu.
- Under Type, select the option Basic HTTP.
- Click Get data and verify this is the data you're looking for.
- Click Continue.
- You're taken to the data feed editor, where you can either save the data as-is or modify it. If you want to edit the data feed, this article includes detailed editing information.