How do I troubleshoot API connection errors?

Where can I find this feature using the top menu?

• Unauthenticated API: Manage > Developer > Public API
• Authenticated API: Manage > Developer > + New Application / Console
   

What more do I need to use this feature?

• Admin permissions to manage your account.
• Technical know-how to work with an API.
• Refer to our API Guides for more information:
  • V3: https://api.checkfront.com/
  • V4: https://apiv4.checkfront.com/
     

Which Checkfront version supports this feature - classic items, classic products, or both?

• This feature is available in both our classic version using classic items (Inventory > Items) and our classic version using classic products (Inventory > Products).  → Learn more about products
   

Learn more about Checkfront developer tools For more details about working with our developer tools, check out the following article:  Working with Checkfront Developer tools: API

Our authorized API is accessible via a secure, authenticated HTTPS connection to our hosted services and is isolated to your billing plan. The API requires your application to connect to external servers via SSL and to use one of the identity token services provided to your account. 

Are you having trouble with your Checkfront API and seeing errors? API connection issues may have multiple causes. Review the following list of suggested steps to resolve issues.

• Verify your API credentials 
• Check for authentication token expiration
• Verify your API endpoint URLs
• Verify your API rate limits and usage
• Verify SSL certificates
• Test with API debugging tools
• Check that your IP address is not blocked
• Review error logs
• Contact Technical Support

Incorrect API credentials can cause errors. We recommend that you review the credentials you’ve entered.

What are API credentials? API credentials are the security tokens and identifiers used to verify the identity of a user or application making requests to an API. For a detailed look at connecting to our API with your credentials, check out our V3 and V4 API guides:  V3: Connecting to the API V4: Connecting to the API

Archiving a Staff user account If you archive the Staff user account that generated the API application, the attached authentication credentials are automatically reassigned to an available Admin user account, so the credentials are not deleted.

Expired authentication tokens can cause errors. We recommend you review any authentication tokens and authentication types.
 

What is an authentication token? An authentication token is a digital credential issued by a server after successful login, allowing a user to access resources without repeatedly entering passwords until the token expires or is revoked. For a detailed look at authenticating with tokens, check out our V3 and V4 API guides: V3: Authentication V4: Authentication

Incorrect API endpoint URLs can cause errors. We recommend that you review any entered endpoint URLs.
 

What is an API endpoint URL? An API endpoint is a specific URL where an API receives requests and sends responses. For a detailed look at our allowed endpoints, check out our V3 and V4 API guides: V3: API Endpoints V4: Checkfront API

Exceeding our API rate limit can cause errors. We recommend that you review your API usage.

• If your connection exceeds the 60 requests per minute rate limit, the server responds with an HTTP 429 status code and includes the number of seconds to wait before retrying in the Retry-After HTTP header, as defined in RFC 2616.
   

What are API rate limits? API rate limits are restrictions imposed on the number of requests a user can make within a specified period. For more details about our rate limits, check out our API guides: V3: Rate Limits V4: Rate Limits

An expired SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate can cause errors. We recommend that you review the validity of any SSL certificate.
 

What is an SSL certificate? An SSL certificate is a digital file on a website's server that verifies its identity and enables an encrypted, secure connection with visitors' browsers.

Validating the functionality, reliability, performance, and security of your API connection is an important step. You can perform both manual and automated testing using various tools. Please take a look at the list below for suggestions.
 

What debugging tools can I use? Here are several API debugging tools you can consider: Postman Insomnia Katalon Studio

If your API requests are unable to receive a response from our gateway server, your IP address may be blocked. 

Please contact Technical Support for help in resolving this issue.
 

While Checkfront does not include an API logging feature, we recommend implementing or enhancing client-side logging. Review your error log(s) if you encounter any API errors.

Contact Technical Support for help If you continue experiencing trouble with your API connection, contact Technical Support for assistance. Be sure to include the specific error message(s) you see and the troubleshooting steps completed.