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API Getting Started

This tutorial helps you get started using the POWER Application Programming Interface (API). The POWER API allows external application developers to directly connect and interact with POWER's Data Archive. You can do this by including a POWER API URL in your scripted application, Jupyter Notebook, or hyperlink in a web browser.

OpenAPI Pages

The POWER Project provides detailed 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 complete the steps below:

Getting Started Steps - API URL from API Pages

Step 1: Select the POWER API endpoint from the dropdown next to "Select a definition."

Step 2: Select the data request you would like to use as a starting point.

Step 3: Select the "Try it out" button.

Step 4: Enter valid values for all required and desired optional parameters.

Step 5: Select the "Execute" button. A successful request will display a code value of 200. Copy the Request URL in the Responses. If you entered 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

Step 1: Submit a successful single point or regional request in the DAV. A new pane should appear at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: In the Request Results pane, choose the format you are interested in exporting under the Data Download section. This will copy the request URL to your clipboard.

Step 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.