API Triggers

API triggers send your scraped data to web API endpoints. Whether you need to push data to a REST API, execute a GraphQL mutation, or call a SOAP web service, RTILA X has a trigger for it.

API triggers are the most versatile trigger category because virtually every modern application exposes an API. If your destination has an API, you can send data to it.

REST API

The REST API trigger sends data to any REST API endpoint using standard HTTP methods. This is the most commonly used API trigger because REST APIs are the most common type of web API.

Description

The REST API trigger makes an HTTP request to a specified URL. You can choose the HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH), include custom headers, add query parameters, and send a JSON request body. The response is stored in an output variable for use by subsequent triggers.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
url	string	✅ Yes	“”	The API endpoint URL to send the request to. Supports ${variable} substitution.
method	string	✅ Yes	“GET”	The HTTP method. Options: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH.
headers	object	No	{}	Custom HTTP headers as key-value pairs. Example: {"Authorization": "Bearer ${api_key}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}.
params	object	No	{}	URL query parameters as key-value pairs. Example: {"page": "1", "limit": "20"}.
json_data	object	No	{}	The JSON request body for POST, PUT, or PATCH requests. Supports ${variable} substitution.

Example: Send Data to an API

{
  "url": "https://api.example.com/products",
  "method": "POST",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer ${api_key}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
  },
  "json_data": {
    "name": "${product_name}",
    "price": "${product_price}",
    "source": "${page_url}"
  }
}

Example: Call an API with Query Parameters

{
  "url": "https://api.example.com/search",
  "method": "GET",
  "params": {
    "q": "${search_term}",
    "page": "1",
    "limit": "50"
  }
}

Response Format

The REST API trigger stores the response in the output variable with these fields:

Field	Type	Description
status	number	The HTTP status code (e.g., 200, 404, 500).
statusText	string	The HTTP status text (e.g., “OK”, “Not Found”).
headers	object	Response headers as key-value pairs.
body	string	The raw response body as a string.
json	object or null	The parsed JSON response, or null if not valid JSON.

Tips

• Use POST for creating new records, PUT for updating existing records, and PATCH for partial updates.
• Always include the Content-Type: application/json header when sending JSON data.
• Use ${variable} substitution in the URL, headers, and body to make your API calls dynamic.
• Check the response status code in subsequent triggers to verify the API call succeeded.

GraphQL API

The GraphQL API trigger executes GraphQL queries or mutations against a GraphQL endpoint. GraphQL is a modern query language that lets you request exactly the data you need.

Description

The GraphQL API trigger sends a GraphQL query or mutation to a GraphQL endpoint. You provide the GraphQL query string and optional variables. The response is stored in an output variable.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
url	string	✅ Yes	“”	The GraphQL endpoint URL. Example: https://api.example.com/graphql.
query	string	✅ Yes	“”	The GraphQL query or mutation string. Supports ${variable} substitution.
variables	object	No	{}	GraphQL variables as key-value pairs. Example: {"id": "${product_id}"}.
headers	object	No	{}	Custom HTTP headers. Example: {"Authorization": "Bearer ${api_key}"}.

Example: Execute a GraphQL Mutation

{
  "url": "https://api.example.com/graphql",
  "query": "mutation CreateProduct($name: String!, $price: Float!) { createProduct(name: $name, price: $price) { id name price } }",
  "variables": {
    "name": "${product_name}",
    "price": "${product_price}"
  },
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer ${api_key}"
  }
}

Example: Execute a GraphQL Query

{
  "url": "https://api.example.com/graphql",
  "query": "query GetProduct($id: ID!) { product(id: $id) { name price description } }",
  "variables": {
    "id": "${product_id}"
  }
}

Response Format

The GraphQL API trigger stores the response in the output variable with these fields:

Field	Type	Description
data	object	The GraphQL response data.
errors	array or null	Any GraphQL errors returned by the server.

Tips

• Use GraphQL mutations for creating or updating data.
• Use GraphQL queries for reading data.
• GraphQL variables are passed separately from the query string, making them safer than string interpolation.
• Always include authentication headers if your GraphQL endpoint requires them.

SOAP API

The SOAP API trigger calls SOAP web services using WSDL-based service definitions. SOAP is an older but still widely used protocol, especially in enterprise environments.

Description

The SOAP API trigger calls a SOAP web service operation. You provide the WSDL URL, service name, port name, operation name, and any arguments. The response is stored in an output variable.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
wsdl_url	string	✅ Yes	“”	The URL of the WSDL file that describes the SOAP service.
service_name	string	✅ Yes	“”	The name of the service as defined in the WSDL.
port_name	string	✅ Yes	“”	The port (binding) name from the WSDL.
operation_name	string	✅ Yes	“”	The operation (method) to call.
arguments	object	No	{}	Operation arguments as key-value pairs. Supports ${variable} substitution.

Example: Call a SOAP Service

{
  "wsdl_url": "https://api.example.com/service?wsdl",
  "service_name": "ProductService",
  "port_name": "ProductServicePort",
  "operation_name": "CreateProduct",
  "arguments": {
    "name": "${product_name}",
    "price": "${product_price}"
  }
}

Response Format

The SOAP API trigger stores the response in the output variable. The format depends on the SOAP service’s response structure.

Tips

• SOAP services are common in enterprise environments (banking, healthcare, government).
• The WSDL URL describes the service’s operations, parameters, and response formats.
• You can find the service name, port name, and operation name by examining the WSDL file.
• SOAP arguments are passed as an object with key-value pairs matching the operation’s expected parameters.

Choosing the Right API Trigger

Scenario	Recommended Trigger
Sending data to a modern web API	REST API
Creating records via API	REST API with POST method
Updating records via API	REST API with PUT or PATCH method
Querying data from an API	REST API with GET method
Working with a GraphQL endpoint	GraphQL API
Calling an enterprise SOAP service	SOAP API
Sending webhooks	REST API with POST method
Calling a third-party API	REST API

Error Handling

API triggers can fail for various reasons:

Error	Cause	Solution
Connection timeout	The API server is unreachable	Check the URL and your internet connection
401 Unauthorized	Invalid or missing authentication	Check your API key or authentication headers
403 Forbidden	Insufficient permissions	Check your API permissions
404 Not Found	Invalid URL	Verify the API endpoint URL
429 Too Many Requests	Rate limit exceeded	Add delays between requests or reduce request frequency
500 Internal Server Error	Server-side error	Check the API server status
Invalid JSON	Malformed request body	Check your JSON syntax

Tip: Use the response status code in subsequent triggers to handle errors gracefully. For example, you can use an if trigger to check if the status code is 200 before proceeding.