How to Integrate Quixy Platform to a third - party platform (Integrations)

Integration is the process of connecting data, applications, APIs, and devices across various IT platforms in order to improve efficiency, productivity, and agility. Integration not only connects, but it also adds value through the new functionalities provided by connecting different systems' functions.

In this article, you will learn how to establish a relation between Quixy platform and a 3rd party platform to import or export data using APIs. You will also learn about the different methods that we use to exchange the data.

Before deep-diving in to the integrations concept, let us understand about the basic but very important part of Integrations i.e., APIs

What is an API?

API stands for Application Programming Interface, which is a software interface that connects two applications. You utilize an API every time you use a social media app, send an instant message, or check the weather on your phone.

For Example: When you use a mobile phone application, it connects to the Internet and sends information to a server. The server then retrieves the information, interprets it, takes the appropriate actions, and sends it back to your phone. The software then analyses the data and displays the information you requested in a readable format. All of this happens via API.

To explain this better, let us take a familiar example.

Consider yourself at a restaurant table with a menu of options to choose from. The kitchen is a component of the overall “system” that will prepare your order. What's missing is the crucial link that allows you to communicate your order to the kitchen and have it delivered to your table. That's where the waiter, sometimes known as an API, comes in. The waiter is the messenger or API who receives your request or order and transmits it to the kitchen or system. The waiter then gives you the response, which in this case is the food.

Role of API in Quixy

In Quixy, all the integrations happen using an API, Quixy integration APIs are built using REST. Quixy uses standard HTTP VERBS (GET/POST) which can be easily understood by HTTP 3rd Party Systems.

In the beginning of this article, we have learned that there are different methods through which we can integrate two platforms to exchange data. Integration through APIs can happened in two methods:

1. API’s exposed by Quixy is consumed by 3rd Party platform
2. API’s exposed by 3rd Party platform is consumed by Quixy

In both the methods given above, there are two purposes for which API is consumed:

1. Export Data (Push data into 3rd party system)
2. Import Data (Pull data into Quixy)

In Quixy, we use different features to push or pull data for each of the methods mentioned above, refer to the flowchart given below:

Quixy API consumed by 3rd party platform

Push data into Quixy:

As we understand from the flow chart given above that when Quixy API is consumed by a 3rd party platform, they can either push data into Quixy or pull data from Quixy.

For 3rd party platform to push data into Quixy, we use Webhook feature in Quixy and generate an API along with security details (i.e., secret key, passwords, etc.) and provide it to the 3rd party platform.

Learn more about how to configure Webhook API...  

Pull data from Quixy:

For 3rd party platform to pull data from Quixy, we use Report API feature in Quixy and generate an API along with Json body and provide it to the 3rd party platform.

Learn more about Report API...

3rd party API consumed by Quixy

Push data into Quixy:

For 3rd party platform to push data into Quixy, we use External App Reference feature in Quixy, if the 3rd party API is secured, we can authenticate the API and get the data from 3rd party database.

Learn more about how to configure External App References...

Pull data from Quixy:

For 3rd party platform to pull data from Quixy, we use External Integrations (App Integrations) feature in Quixy, if the 3rd party API is secured, we can authenticate the API and push the data into 3rd party database from Quixy. 

Learn more about External Integrations...