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Invoke an API using cURL

The API Store has an integrated API Console via which you can read API documentation and invoke APIs . Alternatively, you can use a tool like cURL to invoke APIs.

Follow the instructions below to invoke an API using cURL, which is an open source command-line tool and library for transferring data.

Before you begin,

• Subscribe to an API if you have not done so already. For detailed instructions on subscribing to an API, see Subscribe to an API.

Let's get started .

1. Sign in to the API Store with your credentials.

2. Click Applications. This lists all the applications you have created.

3. Click view to open details of the application that you used to subscribe to the API.

4. Click the Production Keys tab and then click Generate keys.

   By default the Client Credentials grant type will be used to generate access token. Make sure the Client Credentials grant type is selected when generating keys from the UI.

   Tip

   You can set a token validity period in the given text box. By default, it is set to one hour (3600 seconds). If you set a negative value (e.g., -1), the token will never expire.

   However, this non-expiring token too can be revoked in some situations such as changing user password, changing the client secret, calling the token revoke api, authorization service provider detects that the tokens are compromised due to a security breach etc.

   Hence,

   1. It is not recommended to hard-code such access tokens in client's applications on any production environment to communicate with the API Manager.
   2. You should use the recommended methods of obtaining the token by using the relevant grant type.
   3. Hard coding the token needs to be done with caution and if doing so, the application needs to be provisioned to get a new token in case the current hard-coded token is invalidated by the system.

   After the keys are generated, you can invoke the API using curl.

5. Install cURL if it is not there in your environment. Note that cURL comes by default in some operating systems. You can also use any other REST client.

6. Open the command line and execute the following cURL command:

   curl -k -H "Authorization: Bearer <access token>" -v '<API URL>'

   Be sure to replace the placeholders as specified below:

   • <access token> : Specify the token generated in step 5
   • <API URL> : Click the APIs menu, click the API you want to invoke and then copy the production URL in the API's Overview tab.
     Then, append the payload to the production URL. E.g., https://gateway.api.cloud.wso2.com:443/t/companyn3/phoneverify/1.0.0/ CheckPhoneNumber?PhoneNumber=18006785432&LicenseKey=0.

   Here's an example:

   curl -k -H "Authorization: Bearer 1fa22cef-c791-3105-9ac4-58511c199aa0" 'https://gateway.api.cloud.wso2.com:443/t/companyn3/phoneverify/1.0.0/CheckPhoneNumber?PhoneNumber=18006785432&LicenseKey=0'

7. Note the result that appears on the command line.

8. Similarly, invoke the POST method using the following cURL command:

   curl -k -H "Authorization: Bearer 1fa22cef-c791-3105-9ac4-58511c199aa0" --data "PhoneNumber=18006785432&LicenseKey=0" https://gateway.api.cloud.wso2.com:443/t/companyn3/phoneverify/1.0.0/CheckPhoneNumber

Now you have successfully invoked the API using cURL.

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