Zendesk API: Creating an Authenticated API Datasource

Goal

Prerequisites

Overview

1. Create an API Token in Zendesk

   Start out by heading over to the Admin Center, and navigate to the API section. 

   
   1. Enable Token access
   2. Add an API token
      1. add a description
      2. copy the token and save it somewhere safe!

   NOTE: You won't be able to view this token again in Zendesk, but you can always generate a new token. 

    

   Next, click the (i) next to Token access, and copy the curl template, then head over to Appsmith. 

   

2. Import CURL to Create a new API

   In Appsmith, click Datasources [+] on the left sidebar and select CURL Import

   

   Paste in the curl request, and update it with your email, api_token, and subdomain. Then click Import, to create the new API. 

   Test the API

   Click Run, and you should get back a response with your user object. Then click Save as datasource, to convert the API to an Authenticated API Datasource. 

   

    

3. Save the API as a Datasource

   Notice how the authentication header is stored in plain text, in an unencrytped field? Before saving the datasource, the best practice is to move the token to the authentication settings and store the token in the encrypted password field. 

   

    

   1. Under the Authentication section, set the authentication type to Basic
   2. enter your email for the user name, followed by /token
   3. Copy the token from the unencrypted version of the header, and paste it in the password
   4. Delete the original header, now that the token is stored securely! ⚠️
   5. Save the datasource
   6. Retest the API

   Note the blue bar around the url now. This indicates that the API is connected to a datasource. 

   The headers appear blank now, because the server will be adding on the credentials after any requests are sent from the client side. 

Conclusion

Additional Resources