Knack API Essential Guide

What type of API does Knack provide?

Knack uses a REST (Representational State Transfer) API. The key characteristics of Knack's REST API are:

• It is organized around REST principles
• It has predictable, resource-oriented URLs
• It uses HTTP response codes to indicate API errors
• It uses built-in HTTP features like authentication and HTTP verbs
• It follows most conventions of RESTful architecture
• All data sent to and from the API must be in JSON format

Does the Knack API have webhooks?

Current Status of Knack Webhooks

1. There is no official public documentation or access to webhooks in the Knack API.

2. Webhooks seem to exist internally for Knack, but are only accessible to certain integration platforms like Zapier and Integromat (now Make).

3. There have been multiple requests from users and developers for Knack to provide public access to webhooks.

Available Workarounds

While official webhooks are not available, there are some workarounds:

1. Using integration platforms:

   • Make (formerly Integromat) has recently updated their Knack module to allow setting up webhooks for form submissions, record creation, and updates.
   • Zapier offers some Knack integrations that can trigger actions based on Knack events.

2. Custom solutions:

   • Some developers have resorted to using email notifications or JavaScript webhooks as workarounds.

Key Considerations

1. The lack of official webhooks is seen as a limitation by many Knack users, especially for real-time applications and integrations.

2. There are security concerns about potential rogue webhooks that users have no control over.

3. The community has been actively requesting this feature, and there are indications that the Knack team is reviewing these requests.

In conclusion, while the official Knack API does not currently offer public webhook functionality, there are some third-party solutions and workarounds available. However, these may not cover all possible events or use cases that direct API webhooks would provide.

Rate Limits and other limitations

Here are the key points about the API Rate Limits for the Knack API:

Daily Limits

The daily API request limits vary by plan type:

• Starter: 1,000 requests per day
• Pro: 5,000 requests per day
• Corporate: 10,000 requests per day
• Plus: 25,000 requests per day

Rate Limit

For all plan types, there is a rate limit of 10 requests per second.

What Counts Towards Limits

The following types of requests count towards the API limits:

• All object-based API calls using the API key
• All view-based API calls authenticated with a user token
• Third-party requests to the object-based API (e.g. Zapier, Integromat)

Handling Rate Limits

When the rate limit is exceeded, the API will return a 429 Too Many Requests status code. The response headers provide information on:

• X-RateLimit-Limit: Requests allowed per second (10)
• X-RateLimit-Remaining: Requests remaining in current window
• X-RateLimit-Reset: Timestamp when limit resets

Best Practices

To avoid hitting rate limits:

• Wait for a response before making the next request
• Add delays between requests
• Track request counts and batch requests
• Cache frequently requested data
• Optimize code to reduce unnecessary requests

Additional Notes

• The per-second rate limit of 10 requests cannot be increased
• Additional daily API calls can be purchased as add-ons
• API performance may be slow compared to other APIs

In summary, Knack enforces both daily limits based on plan type and a 10 requests/second rate limit across all plans. Proper request throttling and optimization is recommended to work within these limits.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results provided, there is no specific mention of the most recent version of the Knack API. However, I can provide some key information about the Knack API based on the available sources:

Key Points About the Knack API

1. The Knack API is organized around REST principles [2].

2. It uses HTTP response codes to indicate API errors and follows most conventions of RESTful architecture [2].

3. All data sent to and from the API must be in JSON format [2].

4. The API can be used to create, retrieve, update, or delete records stored in Knack apps [1].

5. There are two types of API requests:

   • Object-based requests: Require an API key and have full access to every field and record in the app [1].
   • View-based requests: Follow the rights and fields set up in the view and do not require an API key [1].

6. Authentication is done via HTTP headers that need to be passed with each request [1].

7. There is a rate limit of 10 requests per second to the Knack API [1].

API Performance Considerations

While not directly related to the API version, it's worth noting that some users have reported performance issues with the Knack API:

1. Some users have experienced slow response times compared to other APIs [5].

2. There have been reports of rate limit exceeded errors (429 errors) [5].

3. Users have implemented workarounds such as syncing certain tables to Google Sheets for faster searches [5].

Best Practices

1. When making API requests, ensure you're following the authentication requirements and rate limits [1].

2. Consider implementing error handling for potential issues like rate limit errors or connection problems [5].

3. If experiencing performance issues, you may need to optimize your API usage or consider alternative approaches for time-sensitive operations [5].

While I couldn't find information on the most recent version of the Knack API, it's always a good practice to refer to the official Knack documentation for the most up-to-date information on API usage and any version-specific details.

How to get a Knack developer account and API Keys?

To get a developer account for Knack to create an API integration, you'll need to follow these steps:

1. Sign up for a Knack account:

   • Go to the Knack website (www.knack.com) and create an account if you don't already have one.

2. Choose a plan that includes API access:

   • Knack offers different pricing tiers, and API access is typically available on higher-tier plans. Make sure to select a plan that includes API functionality.

3. Obtain your API credentials:

   • Once you have an account with API access, you'll need to retrieve your API credentials. These usually consist of:
     • Application ID: This identifies the specific Knack app you're working with.
     • API Key: This is used for authentication when making API requests.

4. Familiarize yourself with the API documentation:

   • Knack provides comprehensive API documentation that covers how to use their API, including:
     • Creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting records
     • Using client-side JavaScript for custom actions
     • Customizing your application's design with CSS

5. Start integrating:

   • With your API credentials and knowledge of the API, you can begin integrating Knack with other systems or creating custom functionality.

What can you do with the Knack API?

Based on the search results provided, here is a summary of the data models you can interact with using the Knack API:

Objects

• Objects represent the main data entities in your Knack app [2].
• You can perform CRUD (Create, Retrieve, Update, Delete) operations on object records [2].
• Object-based requests require an API key and have full access to all fields and records [2].

Views

• Views are specific presentations of object data configured in your Knack app [2].
• You can retrieve records from views [2].
• View-based requests follow the permissions and field visibility set up in the view [2].
• No API key is required for view-based requests [2].

Fields

• Fields represent the individual data points within objects [4].
• You can access and manipulate field data when working with object records [4].

Records

• Records are the individual data entries within objects [4].
• You can create, retrieve, update, and delete records via the API [2][4].

Relationships

• You can work with related records across different objects [4].
• Knack supports one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many relationships between objects [4].

Key points to consider:

• All API requests must be authenticated using HTTP headers [2].
• Data is exchanged in JSON format [5].
• There are rate limits on API requests (10 per second) [2].
• The API follows RESTful conventions with resource-oriented URLs [5].
• You can perform operations like data import/export, form submissions, and report generation through the API [3][4].

Best practices:

• Use object-based requests for full data access and view-based requests for limited access scenarios [2].
• Leverage the API to automate data entry, retrieval, updates, and deletions [3].
• Integrate Knack with other tools and platforms to create powerful workflows [3].
• Consider using the API for tasks like contact syncing, ticket management, and inventory tracking [3].

By utilizing these data models and following best practices, you can effectively interact with your Knack app's data through the API to build robust integrations and automate processes.