Cisco APIC-EM controller provides interactive, northbound Representational State Transfer (REST) API documentation. You can use the REST API documentation to help you integrate the controller with your larger network management system and administer your network.

To access the northbound REST API documentation, from the Global toolbar, click API.

Note	The REST API documentation is based on Swagger 1.2 specifications.

Figure 1. API Window

The interactive northbound REST API documentation provides:

• Links to information about the northbound REST APIs terms of services and the Cisco developer community website:

  • Terms of Service—Review the terms and services for accessing the server where the APIs are located.

  • Cisco DevNet—Access the Cisco developer community website. This website offers developer information, community forums, a developer sandbox, and other developer aids.

• A list of supported northbound REST APIs used by the controller and organized by application:

  • File

  • Flow Analysis

  • IP Geolocation

  • IP Pool Manager

  • Inventory

  • Network Discovery

  • Network Plug and Play

  • PKI Broker Service

  • Policy Administration

  • Role Based Access Control

  • Scheduler

  • Task

  • Topology

  • Visibility

  Note	Only applications with an active service running display in the menu list.

• A list of supported methods for each northbound REST API including:

  • GET—To retrieve a resource.

  • POST—To create a resource.

  • PUT—To change the state of a resource or to update it.

  • DELETE— To remove or delete a resource.

• Methods of the API:

  • Show/Hide—Displays or hides supported methods of the API (GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE).

  • List Operations—Displays the supported methods of the API (GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE).

  • Expand Operations—Displays an expanded view of the methods of the API including:

    • Implementation Notes—Brief descriptions of what the northbound REST API does, including some specific details of the implementation.

    • Response Class—Model and Model Schema views, as well as a Response Content Type:

    • Parameters—Parameter, Description, Parameter Type, Data Type definitions (string, integer, or model), as well as input fields if required for testing.

    • Error Status Codes—HTTP status code and reason definitions.

• Raw content—Provides Raw content for the external Swagger UI (user provided) to access the northbound REST API. Content is provided in text file format.

To get a better understanding of the northbound REST APIs, you can run sample methods and get resultant outputs. For more information, see Using the Cisco APIC-EM REST API Window.

Step 1	From the Global toolbar, click API.
Step 2	From the list of available APIs, choose an API. For example, choose the Role Based Access Control API.
Step 3	From the list of Role Based Access Control APIs, choose an API to view its supported methods. For example, choose the user API. Figure 2. Supported Methods for User Management API
Step 4	Click Expand Operations. Figure 3. Expanded View of getUsers API
Step 5	Click the Try it out! button located at the bottom of each expanded API method window. Note    Enter content into any of the required content fields prior to testing the API. For example, click the Try it out! button for GET /user and review the following output: Request URL—Displays the request URL created and sent to the controller for the appropriate method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) Response Body—Displays an example of a response to the request URL. Response Code—Displays the error status code for example response. Response Headers— Displays the responses returned by the RESTful Services; the specific HTTP headers used are displayed. Figure 4. Output the getUsers API
Step 6	Click Hide the Response to close the expanded API method window. Test out additional methods for this API or try a new API and its methods.

Test out additional methods for this API or try a new API and its methods.