API Getting Started¶
This tutorial will help users get started using the POWER Application Programming Interface (API). The POWER API allows external application developers and users to directly connect and interact with POWER's Data Archive. This can be completed by including a POWER API URL in a user's scripted application, Jupyter Notebook, or hyperlink in a web browser.
API Pages¶
The POWER Project provides detailed Data Services overviews on its services offerings including the POWER API. These can be used to start to build an API query request from scratch or through the POWER API Pages. To start, open the POWER API Pages and do the following:
Getting Started Steps - API URL from API Pages
Steps 1: Select the POWER API endpoint from the dropdown next to "Select a definition."
Steps 2: Click on the data request you would like to use as a starting point.
Steps 3: Click the "Try it out" button.
Steps 4: Enter valid values for all required and desired optional parameters.
Steps 5: Click "Execute." A successful request will display a code value of 200. Copy the Request URL in the Responses. If you inputted multiple data "parameters" for "parameter", they may be delimited by a comma "," or "%2C". Both are valid delimiters in a request URL.
Now that you have the API URL, you can edit it by hand following the guidance in POWER API and use it in your applications as you wish.
Data Access Viewer¶
POWER also offers an approach to start using the Data Access Viewer (DAV) to constrict your initial API request. To start, open the Data Access Viewer (DAV) and do the following:
Getting Started Steps - API URL from DAV
Steps 1: Submit a successful single point or regional request in the DAV. A new pane should appear at the bottom of the screen.
Steps 2: In the Request Results pane, choose the format you are interested in underneath the Data Download dropdown. This will copy the request URL to your clipboard.
Steps 3: Paste the text from your clipboard to a notepad. Replace the user value with the name of your service.
Now that you have the API URL, you can edit it by hand following the guidance in POWER API and use it in your applications as you wish.