API Developers Breakfast

Technical overview, use and features available

Mike Thacker, Dominic Skinner and Steve MesserPorism Limited

9 July 2015 api.esd.org.uk

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What is the API?

A set of RESTful web methods that feed data to front feed applications.

See:

http://webservices.esd.org.uk/

http://webservices.esd.org.uk/explain

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What you get• Everything that drives the LGA’s own

applications for benchmarking and small area profiling

• Data (see datasets) maintained by Research and Information team

• Sound statistical analysis (see value types)

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Applying a consistent framework

Metrics• 2,917 metric types with values• 49 million metric values available

(+ 85 million in back end)

• many data sources• consistent time periods• consistent breakdowns• large to small official statistical areas• other areas

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How metric values are defined

Areas Time periodsMetrics

All typesId1 - Population

Population of all counties of England in 2014

All typesAll counties

All typesCalendar year 2014

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API keys• Sign in and request a key

• Public key is for quick use• Public private key is to ‘sign’ live calls• OAuth is to recognise individual users (if you need to)

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Some simple examplesThe following JavaScript examples use no server side code whatsoever!

Include jQuery Library

Call web service with public key using JSONP

Parse returned JSON and output data

Insert your Public Key

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Some simple examples

Want to see the API in action? Download the examples and create your own security keys.

Replace YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY with the public key you have created. Save and open the HTML file to view.

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Public Private Key example

This simple PHP function takes a URL (like the one shown earlier) and appends an Application Key. It then generates a signature from the URL and Private Key.

Examples can be found on File Exchange.

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Help with metric typesSee standards pages

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Help with web methodsUse the data tool or see ‘Explain’ in web methods tool

See example

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Help with anything API-relatedSee API help

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Further information

API: api.esd.org.uk

Help: help.esd.org.uk / support@esd.org.uk

Tim.Adams@local.gov.uk Mike.Thacker@esd.org.uk

@DrTimAdams @MikeThacker

Mike SteveDom