API Call

Action ID: api_call

Description

Call an API with custom headers, body, and request method. This node allows you to make HTTP requests to external APIs with full control over the request configuration.

Input Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
url	string	✓	-	The URL to call.
method	dropdown	✓	-	The method to call the API. Available options: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE
headers	object	-	-	The headers to send in the API call in JSON format.
body	object	-	-	The body to send in the API call.
timeout	integer	-	30	The timeout in seconds for the API call. Range: 1 to 599
response_type	dropdown	-	json	The response type of the API call. Available options: json, string

View JSON Schema

{
  "description": "Input for API call node.",
  "properties": {
    "url": {
      "title": "Url to call",
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The URL to call."
    },
    "method": {
      "title": "Method",
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "GET",
        "POST",
        "PUT",
        "PATCH",
        "DELETE"
      ],
      "description": "The method to call the API."
    },
    "headers": {
      "default": null,
      "title": "Headers",
      "type": "object",
      "description": "The headers to send in the API call in JSON format."
    },
    "body": {
      "default": null,
      "title": "Body",
      "type": "object",
      "description": "The body to send in the API call."
    },
    "timeout": {
      "default": 30,
      "minimum": 1,
      "exclusiveMaximum": 600,
      "title": "Timeout",
      "type": "integer",
      "description": "The timeout in seconds for the API call."
    },
    "response_type": {
      "default": "json",
      "enum": [
        "json",
        "string"
      ],
      "title": "Response Type",
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The response type of the API call."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "url",
    "method"
  ],
  "title": "ApiCallNodeInput",
  "type": "object"
}

Output Parameters

Name	Type	Description
status_code	integer	The status code of the API call
response_body	object or string	The response body of the API call

View JSON Schema

{
  "description": "Node output for API call node.",
  "properties": {
    "status_code": {
      "title": "Status Code",
      "type": "integer",
      "description": "The status code of the API call."
    },
    "response_body": {
      "title": "Response Body",
      "description": "The response body of the API call."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "status_code",
    "response_body"
  ],
  "title": "ApiCallNodeOutput",
  "type": "object"
}

How It Works

This node constructs an HTTP request with your specified method, URL, headers, and body, then sends it to the target API endpoint. It waits for the API to respond within the timeout period and captures the response status code and body. The response is returned as either JSON (parsed) or raw string text based on your response_type setting.

Usage Examples

Example 1: Simple GET Request

Input:

url: "https://api.example.com/users/123"
method: "GET"
response_type: "json"

Output:

status_code: 200
response_body: {
  "id": 123,
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "[email protected]"
}

Example 2: POST Request with Body and Headers

Input:

url: "https://api.example.com/users"
method: "POST"
headers: {
  "Content-Type": "application/json",
  "Authorization": "Bearer token123"
}
body: {
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "role": "admin"
}
response_type: "json"

Output:

status_code: 201
response_body: {
  "id": 456,
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "created_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

Example 3: DELETE Request with Authentication

Input:

url: "https://api.example.com/users/123"
method: "DELETE"
headers: {
  "Authorization": "Bearer token123"
}
timeout: 15
response_type: "json"

Output:

status_code: 204
response_body: {}

Common Use Cases

• Third-Party Integrations: Connect to external APIs like payment processors, shipping providers, or email services

• Data Retrieval: Fetch data from remote sources like weather APIs, databases, or content management systems

• Creating Resources: Send data to APIs to create new records in external systems

• Data Updates: Update information in external systems or databases through API calls

• Webhook Notifications: Send data to webhook URLs to notify external systems about workflow events

• API Aggregation: Combine data from multiple APIs in a single workflow

Error Handling

Error Type	Cause	Solution
Connection Timeout	API didn't respond within the timeout period	Increase timeout value or check if the API server is reachable
Invalid URL	URL format is incorrect or malformed	Verify the URL format starts with http:// or https://
Authentication Failed	Invalid or missing credentials in headers	Check your Authorization header and API key validity
Rate Limit	Too many requests sent to the API	Implement delays between calls or check API rate limit documentation
Malformed Body	JSON body has syntax errors	Validate JSON structure and ensure all required fields are present
Network Error	Cannot connect to the host or DNS resolution failed	Verify the domain is correct and the API endpoint is accessible

Notes

• HTTP Methods: Choose the appropriate HTTP method based on the API's requirements. GET is commonly used for fetching data, POST for creating resources, PUT for updating, and DELETE for removing.

• Headers: Include necessary headers such as Authorization, Content-Type, or custom headers required by the API.

• Response Format: Select "json" for APIs that return JSON objects or arrays. Use "string" for plain text responses.

• Timeout: Set an appropriate timeout based on the expected response time. The default 30 seconds works for most APIs.

• Error Handling: Check the status_code in the response to handle errors. HTTP status codes 200-299 indicate success, while 400+ indicate errors.

• Security: Never include sensitive credentials directly in the URL; use headers like Authorization instead.