Connecting Make to any web service that uses API tokens authorization

There are some services that do not allow Make (and other integration platforms) to create an app that you can easily use in your scenario.

Fortunately, there is a workaround. You can connect the desired service (app) to Make using Make's HTTP module.

In the following article, we will describe how to connect almost any web service to Make using an API Key/API token.

Like it is for most web services, the procedure of connecting the service via an API token is similar and consists of the following steps:

  1. Create an application on the web service's website.

  2. Obtain the API Key/API token.

  3. Add Make's HTTP > Make a Request module to your scenario.

  4. Set up the module according to the web service's API documentation and running the scenario.

Note

We will use the Pushover notification service as an example.

Creating a new application and obtaining the API token

  1. Log in to your Pushover account.

  2. Click on the Create an Application/API Token link at the bottom of the page.

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  3. Fill in the Application Information and click the Create an Application button.

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  4. Store the provided API token in a safe place. You will need it for your HTTP > Make a Request module to connect to the desired web service (Pushover, in this case).

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Setting up the HTTP module

To connect a web service to your Make scenario, you need to:

  • Employ the HTTP > Make a Request module in your Make scenario.

  • Set up the HTTP > Make a Request module according to the web service's API documentation.

  1. Add the HTTP > Make a Request module to your scenario

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  2. To push a message using Make, set up the HTTP module as follows:\

    Note

    These module settings correspond to the Pushover web service API documentation. Settings may be different for other web services. For example, the API token may be inserted into the Header and not into the Body field.

    1. URL : https://api.pushover.net/1/messages.json

      The URL field contains the endpoint that you can find in the respective web service's API documentation.

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    2. Method: POST

      The used method depends on the corresponding endpoint. The Pushover endpoint for pushing messages uses the POST method.

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    3. Headers: Some web services may use Headers to specify the API token authentication and/or other parameters. This is not the case in our example as the Pushover's endpoint for pushing messages uses Body (see below) for all request types.

    4. Query String: Some web services may use Query String to specify other parameters. This is not the case in our example as the Pushover web service uses Body (see below) for all request types.

    5. Body Type: Raw - This setting allows you to select the JSON content type in the Content Type field below.

    6. Content Type: JSON (application/json)

      JSON is the required content type by the Pushover app. This may differ from other web services.

    7. Request Content: Enter the Body request content in the JSON format. You can use the JSON > Create JSON module or enter the JSON content manually.

      Note

      See the web service's API documentation for the required parameters (fields).

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JSON body entered manually

Specify parameters and values in the JSON format.

Example:

{"user":"12345c2ecu1hq42ypqzhswbyam34",
"token":"123459evz8aepwtxydndydgyumbfx",
"message":"Hello World!",
"title":"The Push Notification"}

user

Your USER_KEY. Can be found in your Pushover dashboard.

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token

Your API token/API Key that was generated in step 4 when you created the Pushover app.

message

The text content of the push notification that is sent to the device(s).

title

Optional Your message's title, otherwise, your app's name is used.

JSON body mapped using the JSON > Create JSON module

The Create JSON module makes specifying JSON easier. It also gives you the possibility to define values dynamically.For more information about the JSON modules please refer to the JSON documentation.

  1. Enter (or map) the values you want to create JSON from.

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  2. Connect the JSON > Create JSON module to the HTTP > Make a Request module you have already set up (above).

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  3. Map the JSON string from the Create JSON module to the Request content field in the HTTP > Make a Request module.

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Now when you run the scenario, the push notification is sent to the device that has been registered in your Pushover account.

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