Boston Alteryx User Group Q3 Meeting
August 20th, 2024
In our latest gathering, Chris Lewis, Alteryx ACE, took center stage and dove into the exciting world of APIs. He kicked things off by explaining how APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) act as bridges, letting one tap into data from other organizations without needing to be an employee. Chris laid out the must-haves for API success: a valid URL, solid documentation, and a grasp of response formats like JSON and XML. He stressed that good documentation is key—it should tell you what to expect, how to make requests, and even provide example queries.
Next, Chris took us on a fun journey through the anatomy of an API request, using multiple examples to show how to structure requests with parameters and API keys. He also shared some nifty tools in Alteryx for working with APIs, like the Download Tool and the JSON/XML Parse tools. The highlight? Chris showcased the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day API, demonstrating how to build a workflow that retrieves and emails jaw-dropping images daily.
Chris was kind enough to share the workflow with the community—so give it a try and don't forget to drop him a thank you!
Overall, it was a fantastic session filled with valuable insights, practical examples, and a lot of SWAG. If you missed it, take a look at the video below. Catch you at the next one!
