Information about navigation elements used in the platform, App, API, and Groups component overview, and information about the platform search option.
The following table provides a brief summary of navigation elements.
| Screen Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Anonymous Top Navigation | The top navigation in the right corner of the Home page displays for anonymous users. Existing users can use the Login / Sign-up link to log in. New users can select the Create an account! link to sign up. |
| Top Navigation | The top navigation in the right corner of the Home page displays when a user is signed in. It includes the user's profile image, Logged in as <username>, Profile link for accessing user profile, and a Dashboard link. My APIs, My Apps, My Groups, and My Users pages can be accessed by clicking the associated icons. |
| Profile | Displays in the top navigation. Clicking the Profile link launches the user profile interface for the logged-in user. |
| Dashboard | Displays in the top navigation. Clicking the Dashboard link loads the Dashboard page. Here you can view board items and use the Filter Control on the left navigation to sort posts. Clicking the # next to the Dashboard link loads a notification popup that displays the most recent site activity notifications. |
| Plus Menu | Displays to the left of the top navigation. Clicking the + sign launches a drop-down menu that presents the following set of actions that can be performed on the site: Add a New API, Add a New App, Add a New Group, and Invite New Users. Note: specific choices might vary according to site customization and/or user role. For example, in some implementations only a Business Administrator can add an API. If a function is not available to you and you feel it should be, contact your Administrator. |
| Search Menu | Displays to the right of the top navigation. Clicking the magnify glass icon, loads the Search menu where you can select a series of pre-configured search options or perform a free text search to target site information. Pre-configured search options include My APIs, Highest Rated, Most Followers, Recently Added, Last Updated, Most Connections, and Most Volume. |
| Quick Filter Navigation | The Quick Filter section displays a set of icons for accessing site functionality. From left to right the icon legend is My APIs, My Apps, My Groups, and My Users. |
| APIs Icon | The leftmost Quick Filter icon that launches the My APIs page. |
| Apps Icon | The Quick Filter icon (second from left), that launches the My Apps page. |
| Groups Icon | The Quick Filter icon (third from left), that launches the My Groups page. |
| Users Icon | The rightmost Quick Filter icon, which launches the My Users page. |
| Left Navigation | Each functional page includes a left navigation that can include a Filter Control menu and/or Function menus (for example, Board, Details, Dev Console, Monitor, Documents, Legal, APIs, Apps, and Followers). |
| Logout | Displays on the top navigation. Clicking the Logout link signs the user out. |
| Help | The question mark icon to the far right on the top navigation, which launches the Online Help. |
The Dashboard is a configurable information system that is used to view and manage event notifications relating to activity that occurs on your platform account.
For more information on notifications and newsfeed functionality, see How do I enable or disable email notifications, How do notifications work?, and What information is displayed on my Dashboard?
The My Apps interface provides functionality that allows you to define and manage your apps, the APIs they use, and the app development team with whom you would like to collaborate. You can also monitor app performance data during testing or production (See How do I monitor app performance?).
The My Apps section is organized into the following functional areas:
My Apps Page
The My Apps page displays a summary listing of apps you have defined and are currently following. After you have logged in, the page is accessible by clicking the My Apps Navigation Icon. Summary information presented includes App Name, Description, link to Details page, incremental counters for Followers and APIs Connected, and Average Rating (based on Peer Reviews).
App Details
The Details page provides the following summary information and functionality:
| App Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | Displays Tags, Version, Updated (date), Size (KB), Type (SOAP or REST), and Environment (Sandbox or Production) information. |
| Description | Displays a detailed description of the app. |
| Version Description | Displays a detailed description of the app version. |
| Edit | A function that allows you to edit the app overview and description information. |
| Version | A drop-down menu that allows you to select the version of the app you would like to view details for. |
| Rate This App | Allows you to rate the app by clicking from 1 to 5 stars. |
| Security | Allows you to manage security credentials for you app. You can view the current shared secret or regenerate a new one, and generate, export, or remove a Public Key. |
| APIs Used | An auto-generated display that presents a list of APIs that are used in the app. Note: Only APIs that have been approved for Sandbox or Production environments display in this listing. |
| Team Members | Displays a listing of development team members for the current app. A View Profile link allows you to view details about a specific Team Member. |
| Peer Reviews | Displays a listing of reviews for the current app. Filters are available to toggle the display between Current Version and All Versions of app reviews. You can also sort reviews based on Most Recent and Most Popular sort criteria. A page navigation bar allows you to navigate through multiple pages of reviews. |
| Write a Review | A text box that allows you to write a review about the current app. Depending on the platform settings, reviews might be published immediately or might need to be approved by a moderator. If you have written a review and want to revise it later, you can do that. If reviews are moderated, the earlier review remains published until the revision is published, at which point the earlier review is deleted. If you revise a review, the marks count resets to 0 for the revised review. |
| - Version | A function that allows you to delete the current app version. |
| + Version | A function that allows you to create a new app version. |
| + Group | A function that allows you to delete the current group. |
App Board
The Board page provides a collaboration tool that includes both a discussion board and a ticket management system. Developers / Team Members with access privileges to APIs or Apps can collaborate by posting discussion topics, or can raise issues for a specific API or App by creating a ticket. Comments can be posted to board items or tickets.
Dev Console
The Dev Console page provides a test tool for sending sample requests.
Monitor
The Monitor page provides API performance and health monitoring (i.e., traffic, events, alerts comments, tickets, etc.) relating to all consumers of an API. Chart presentations include Chart and Usage Log views. See How do I monitor app performance?
Team
The Team page includes an Invite function that allows you to send invitations to individuals to join the development team of the current app. Existing team members are displayed in a summary listing. Each summary listing includes a bio of the Team Member and an email address.
APIs
The APIs page displays a listing of APIs the current App has requested access to. The Sandbox and Production columns display the status of Sandbox and Production access requests.
Followers
The Followers page allows users to subscribe to apps they are interested in by clicking the Follow button. Subscribing to an app allows users to receive news or updates relating to the app on their personal Dashboard.
The APIs interface provides functionality that allows developers to view available APIs and configuration details, view and download API documentation. New or potential members can review existing APIs and read the documentation to determine which APIs include functionality that can be included in an app.
The APIs section is organized into the following functional areas:
API Details
When an API Name is selected, the Details page displays and presents feature overview documentation for the selected API. You can also select different API versions using the Version menu. The endpoints available for the API are presented (i.e., Sandbox, Production). Each API includes Peer Reviews that you can view, as well as a Similar APIs section which provides a listing of other APIs that include similar functionality.
Reviews: You can write a review about an API you are connected to. Depending on the platform settings, reviews might be published immediately or might need to be approved by a moderator. If you have written a review and want to revise it later, you can do that. If reviews are moderated, the earlier review remains published until the revision is published, at which point the earlier review is deleted. If you revise a review, the marks count resets to 0 for the revised review.
API Board
The API Board is a collaboration tool that includes both a discussion board and a ticket management system. API Administrators / Developers / Team Members with access privileges to APIs or Apps can collaborate by posting discussion topics, can raise issues for a specific API or App by creating a ticket, or can post alerts (for example, API news or maintenance announcements). You can manage the display of API activity posted to the Dashboard newsfeed using the Follow / Unfollow functions.
Monitor
The Monitor page provides API performance and health monitoring information (traffic, events, alerts comments, tickets, and so forth) for the API Admin. Chart presentations include Chart and Usage Log views.
Documents
The Documentation page displays the reference documentation for the current API. Each API includes an API Overview and topics for each API Method. A typical organization might include Uses Cases, URI, Syntax, Sample Request, Request Parameters, Response Parameters, Sample Response, Error Codes, and Related Topics sections. API Providers can utilize the File Manager to upload and manage documentation. See Content Development Guidelines for details.
Legal
The Legal page provides a listing of legal agreements associated with the current API. These agreements typically pertain to API usage requirements, limitations, liability, and service level expectations. The API Provider is responsible for providing and enforcing legal agreements. All users that have visibility rights to an API can view the legal agreements. API Providers can upload and manage the legal agreements using the File Manager.
Visibility
The Visibility option gives access to the Groups page, which provides a method of creating common interest groups around APIs that are defined with private visibility, and also allows the API Admin to invite independent groups on the platform to have visibility into the API. If the API is private, a platform user can only see it if he/she is a member of a group that has visibility. Group accounts are created, and member invitations are sent and managed by the API Provider or assigned API Administrator. Only API Administrators can create Private API Groups or invite independent groups to have visibility into the API.
Admins
The Admins page provides functionality that allows API Providers to send out invitations to individuals to whom they would like to grant administration privileges for their API. API administrators can then be viewed and managed in a summary listing.
Apps
The Apps page allows API Providers and designated API Administrators to manage approval of access requests for their API.
Followers
The Followers page provides a list of members that are currently following the activity of the selected API.
When you click the Groups icon in the top navigation bar, it takes you to the My Groups page. From there, you can click through for details of any group you are a member of.
When you click through to an individual group, the left menu gives you access to the following functional areas:
Group Details
The Details page for the selected group. This provides a visual overview of information about the group, including when it was created, tags, number of members and administrators, and ratings and reviews. If you are a group administrator you can edit the group definition.
Group Board
The Group Board is a collaboration tool that provides access to discussions relating to the group.
Members
The Members page provides a visual summary of members, including their status. If you are an Administrator for the group you can invite additional members and can change the role of existing members or remove members from the group.
Admins
The Admins page provides a visual summary of group administrators. If you are an Administrator for the group you can invite additional users to be Administrators. You can also change the status of an existing Administrator to be a group Member or Leader.
Followers
The Followers page provides a list of members that are currently following the activity of the selected group.
The full-text search capability allows members and visitors to target information about APIs, Board Discussions, and Alerts.
The following entities are searchable:
| Functional Area | Searchable Entities |
|---|---|
| APIs | API Name, API Description, API Version (Name, Description, Type, Tag), Documentation |
| Apps | App Name, App Description, App Version (Name, Description, Type, Tag) |
| Documentation | Site Help |
| Discussions | API Name, Post Type, Content, Username, Tag, Comment (Content, Username) |
| Tickets | API Name, Title, Description, Username, Label, Tag, Comment (Content, Username) |
| Alerts | API Name, Title, Description, Username, Tag, Comment (Content, Username) |
| Search Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| My APIs | Displays all Public and Private APIs you have defined. |
| All APIs | Displays all APIs including all Public APIs defined by members, and all Public and Private APIs you have defined. |
| My Apps | Displays all Public and Private visibility apps you have defined. |
| Last Updated | Displays search results based on the most recently updated.
Search Filter: My APIs, All APIs, and My Apps |
| Highest Rated | Displays search results based on the number of times an API or App is marked (for example, 5 Star Rating). Function: My APIs, All APIs, My Apps |
| Most Used | Displays search results based on the number of apps that are connected to the API (i.e., Apps Connected). Function: My APIs, All APIs |
| Most Popular | Displays search results based on the average rating of Followers, Apps Connected, and Average Rating. |