API Fundamentals

API Fundamentals for FileMaker Developers

Course Overview and Benefits

Sending and receiving data through an API (Application Programming Interface) has exploded in popularity. Though APIs were once just an alternative method to access or transfer data between two sources, it is becoming the standard way to integrate thousands of platforms and apps to increase efficiency and productivity.

While all APIs are very similar, they are also very different. Understanding the general concepts will be extremely helpful for any API process. Seeing a step by step process that points out the common pitfalls with specific examples will open a whole new world of possibility in solutions for you and your clients.

This course focuses on the general API process and specifically teaches you to connect to a hosted FileMaker database through the FileMaker Data API.

Whether you are new to APIs or have some experience with APIs, this course will show the process from start to finish and save you time from reading through vague, confusing, or incomplete documentation.

The course has been updated with a dedicated section explaining what JSON is, how it’s formatted, why it’s important, how it’s used today, and what makes it different than other formats such as comma-separated text.

You will also learn the “rules of the road” for JSON formatting: how it’s constructed, what each of the symbols represents, how they work together, and how to handle different types of data in different situations.

If you are completely new to APIs and want to understand the concepts, have a look at our blog post "Exploring the Basics of API Integration with FileMaker".

The course offers 4 hours of video lessons and includes multiple sample files to help your work on your API development locally, test with data on the server, and parse JSON requests.

Course Curriculum

1. Welcome
  FREE PREVIEW
2. About Stuart Hite / Productive Computing
  FREE PREVIEW
3. How To Use This Course
  FREE PREVIEW
4. Course Overview
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Course Version History
1. JSON Fundamentals Intro
2. What is JSON and Why Do We Need It?
  FREE PREVIEW
3. JSON Format and Rules
4. Creating JSON Using FileMaker
5. Parsing JSON Using Claris Pro (FileMaker)
6. Create JSON Advanced Example (Part 1)
7. Create JSON Advanced Example (Part 2)
8. JSON Get Element Type (Function)
  FREE PREVIEW
9. Working with Decimals In the Key (Use Bracket Notation)
1. Introduction to Data API
2. Download Sample Files
3. Server Checklist
4. Database Checklist
5. General API Process
6. Database Metadata API Calls
7. Authentication
8. Database Metadata API Calls (Continued)
9. Record Data API Calls Part 1
10. Record Data API Calls Part 2
11. Record Data API Calls Part 3
12. Scripts with Data API
13. Summary
1. Analyze JSON & Create Database (Part 1)
2. Parse Customers (Part 2)
3. Parse Invoices (Part 3)
4. Parse Line Items (Part 4)
1. Thank You!
2. Other Offerings from Productive Computing

About this course

$149.00 / year
33 lessons
5 hours of video content

Reviews

Really worked of me

Jonathan Waller

I had zero knowledge of API's, let alone any other types of programming knowledge outside of FileMaker, but now I do. The course explained the basics that yo...

I had zero knowledge of API's, let alone any other types of programming knowledge outside of FileMaker, but now I do. The course explained the basics that you need and it also opened my mind what else I need to build on. For the money, it's a no brainer. Thank you Jonathan

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Just what I needed

Darrel Hampton

This course covered so many details that I was not able to find anywhere else. This has opened up a ton of possibilities for improvements and functionalitie...

This course covered so many details that I was not able to find anywhere else. This has opened up a ton of possibilities for improvements and functionalities in my databases.

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Excellent step by step introduction to the topic

Benedick Miller

The course is an excellent step by step, a guided learning-by-doing, introduction to this important topic. This course will quickly get anyone up and running...

The course is an excellent step by step, a guided learning-by-doing, introduction to this important topic. This course will quickly get anyone up and running with how to connect to the FileMaker Data API in easy steps. The course shows you the basics of how to connect at the same time as giving you the tools and teaching you the skills to move on tho more complex queries working on your own.

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Robert Jackson

This course provides a very useful platform to help developers to manage integrations with web technologies.

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Informative Course

Sayed Bondok

All that I need to perform API data to FileMaker - without this course, one would be lost ... Thanks P.C guys!

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General Topics

Philippe Moreau

perfect, clear, 100% good

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Great Job!!!

Alejandro Félix H.

A very interesting course, with a lot of valuable material

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$299.00 / year

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Prerequisites

You have a working copy of FileMaker Pro Advanced 18 or higher
You have a working server with FileMaker Server 18 or higher installed
You are using a compatible Windows or Mac computer and server
You have a good understanding of FileMaker development and scripting

Your Instructor

Instructional Design Specialist Stuart Hite

Stuart has been developing software for over 30 years, starting long before earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science in 1992. For over 14 years, he was the primary in-house FileMaker developer and the top nationwide instructor for a large education organization. He has been featured in hundreds of live and online courses on many different topics. He now gets to combine his passion for teaching and love of software development into one. “I love breaking down complex projects into simple tangible concepts in a fun way. Knowing that the student is going to be able to accomplish so much more in less time after my course brings a lot of fulfillment.” - Stuart Hite, Instructional Design Specialist, Productive Computing, Inc.

President/CEO/Founder Productive Computing, Inc. Marc Larochelle

Starting in 1991, Marc worked for the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) for 5 years and built the trade show database in FileMaker which tracked 1000 exhibitors and 12 football fields worth of exhibit space. NAMM is one of the world’s largest trade shows and FileMaker was keeping track of everything. While at NAMM, Marc taught computer classes at night helping users with their Macintosh, MS Word, Excel, etc. In addition, he taught music/multimedia classes at local community colleges. Marc Larochelle and his brother Keith started Productive Computing, Inc. (PCI) in 1996. The company, now in its twenty-seventh year, serves customers who use Claris FileMaker and QuickBooks in the areas of custom development, solutions, plug-ins, hosting, and licensing. Marc is certified in FileMaker versions 7 through 19, and he also holds two certifications in AWS (Amazon Web Services). Marc has been to 19 FileMaker DevCon/Engage conferences (18 as an exhibitor) and is considered a prime instructor and influencer within the Claris FileMaker community.