Developing
With BMC Helix Edge, you can manage and analyze data from various sources. To interact programmatically with the BMC Helix Edge environment, you can use the REST API. This section introduces the REST API that BMC Helix Edge provides, outlining the key concepts and functionalities for using these APIs. The BMC Helix Edge REST API provides a programmatic interface to the BMC Helix Edge environment.
As an administrator, use REST APIs to perform the following tasks:
API Base URL
The API base URL consists of: <Scheme>://<Your BMC Helix URL>/<BasePath>/<EndpointPath>
The following example displays the URL components:
- Method: The required HTTPS method (also known as operation or verb) tells the web service about the type of operation you are requesting. The supported endpoints use the GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE methods.
- Scheme: Protocol used by the API to transmit a request. HTTPS is the supported protocol for all the endpoints.
- Your BMC Helix Portal URL: Product URL that you received in the activation email.
- Base path: URL prefix used by all the API paths. Starts with a leading slash (/). The base path helps the web service identify the correct resource for running the API. This path also includes the API version.
- Endpoint path: This path is specific to the particular endpoint you want to run. Depending on the endpoint type, it might include query parameters that can help identify the resource selection criteria.
Supported HTTP status codes
The REST API uses some standard HTTP status codes when responding to requests. The following table provides a summary of the returned status codes.
Status code | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
200 | OK | The operation is successful. |
400 | Bad request | The request is invalid. |
404 | Not found | This status code is used when a resource does not exist. |
401 | Unauthorized access | The authentication failed for the user. |
403 | Forbidden | The user is not allowed to operate. |
500 | Application server error | An error has occurred on the server. |
Supported HTTP methods
The API supports standard HTTP methods such as POST to create new resources. The following table lists the standard HTTP methods for a REST API:
Method | Description |
|---|---|
POST | It is used for submitting data to be processed, typically creating a new resource on the server. |
PUT | It is used for updating or creating a new resource if it does not exist. It replaces the entire resource if it already exists. |
PATCH | It is similar to PUT but is used for applying partial modifications to a resource. It updates the fields provided in the request. |
GET | It is used to retrieve data from the server and request information about a resource or a collection of resources. |
DELETE | It is used for requesting the removal of a resource on the server. It performs the deletion of the specified resource. |
These HTTP methods provide a standardized way for clients to interact with a REST API and perform various operations on resources.
Access and authentication for the REST API
To get started with the BMC Helix Edge REST API, you must:
- Obtain API Credentials: Contact your Helix Edge administrator to obtain the necessary API credentials, including API keys or tokens.
- Read the API Documentation: Familiarize yourself with the API documentation, which provides detailed information about available endpoints, request formats, and response structures.
- Make API Requests: Start making API requests by using tools like curl, Postman, or by integrating the API into your applications.