API Requests

Making API requests in Laminar

Overview

Laminar provides multiple ways to make API requests:

1. Using source/destination APIs in flows

2. Using the httpRequest keyword directly in transformations

Source and Destination APIs

Each flow can specify:

• A source API to fetch data from at the start of the flow

• A destination API to send transformed data to at the end of the flow

These are configured using API Descriptions and authenticated through the Configuration Store.

Responses and data transformations are stored in the Global Workflow Object during execution, and individual API request inputs and outputs are stored in Flow Runs.

Direct HTTP Requests

Single Request

Use lam.httpRequest to make a single HTTP request within a transformation:

JavaScript

(payload) => {
  const { input } = payload;
  
  return {
    "lam.httpRequest": {
      "method": "POST",
      "url": "{{props.baseUrl}}/orders",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer {{props.apiKey}}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
      },
      "body": {
        "orderId": input.orderId,
        "items": input.items
      }
    }
  };
}

JQ

.input |
{
  "lam.httpRequest": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "{{props.baseUrl}}/orders",
    "headers": {
      "Authorization": "Bearer {{props.apiKey}}",
      "Content-Type": "application/json"
    },
    "body": {
      "orderId": .orderId,
      "items": .items
    }
  }
}

Parallel Requests

Use lam.httpRequests to make multiple requests in parallel:

JavaScript

(payload) => {
  const { input } = payload;
  
  return {
    "lam.httpRequests": input.items.map(item => ({
      "method": "GET",
      "url": "{{props.baseUrl}}/inventory/{{itemId}}",
      "pathParams": {
        "itemId": item.id
      }
    }))
  };
}

JQ

.input.items |
{
  "lam.httpRequests": map({
    "method": "GET",
    "url": "{{props.baseUrl}}/inventory/{{itemId}}",
    "pathParams": {
      "itemId": .id
    }
  })
}

Request Components

Component	Description	Required
method	HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)	Yes
url	Request URL with optional templates	Yes
pathParams	URL path parameters	No
headers	HTTP headers	No
body	Request body	No

Using Configuration Properties

Reference configuration properties in URLs and headers using {{props.propertyName}} syntax:

{
  "url": "{{props.baseUrl}}/api/{{version}}/orders",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer {{props.apiKey}}"
  }
}

Choosing an Approach

• Use Source/Destination APIs when:

  • You have a fixed API endpoint for input/output

  • You want to reuse API configurations

  • You need clear separation of data flow

• Use HTTP Request Keywords when:

  • You need dynamic endpoint selection

  • You want to make requests mid-flow

  • You need to make parallel requests

Related

• HTTP Request Keyword
• HTTP Requests Keyword
• API Descriptions
• Configurations