Introduction
Our Self-Development Kits (SDKs) are Connector Libraries for our insanely fast Registrar Backend Systems. The SDKs cover the API Communication Best Practives and easy ways for requesting and accessing data. Do not hesitate to reach out. The API Communications happens based on POST Requests via HTTPS Protocol to respective Registrar Backend System. We're not communicating with a REST API because these SDKs cover multiple Brands in a generic way and for some brands, there's no REST API available. In addition the available REST APIs are not following a generic structure - a must have for a generic cross-brand compatible library. In addition they are not supporting plain contact data handling in Requests yet which is a must have for 3rd-party Software Integrations as dealing with contact handles and their IDs in commands isn't possible.
Although this sounds very technical, we promise that this Library helps already a lot in regards to this kind of API Communication. Left is to learn about the exact API Commands to request for ordering services and products or just for accessing the data you're looking for. This is where a REST API and a related client library would be more self-explaining and doing definitely better. We are aware of this!
Sadly, our SDKs have a different level of supported features and registrar brands. Still, the below UML Diagram is representing the Core possibilities and can be used as high-level overview. For exact details we recommend checking the SDK-specific Class Documentation. Our PHP-/NODE-SDKs cover right now the most advanced structure as they are used in-house and in our 3rd-party Software Integrations. We also recommend having an eye on the Demo Apps of our SDKs to identify how they have to be used.
All SDKs are supporting brand HEXONET (HX), except the PHP-SDK which is supporting CentralNic Reseller (CNR) as well.
FWIW
Features
- Automatic IDN Domain name conversion to punycode (our API accepts only punycode format in commands)
- Allows Nested Arrays in API Commands to improve in direction of Bulk Parameters
- Connecting and communication with our API
- Possibility to use a custom mechanism for debug mode
- Several ways to access and deal with response data
- Getting the command again returned together with the response
- Sensible Data (e.g. Password) is hidden in Debug Output and Data Access Methods for Security Reasons
- Sessionless Communication
- Session based Communication
- Possibility to save API session identifier in session
- Configure a Proxy for API communication
- Configure a Referer for API communication
- High Performance Proxy Setup
UML Diagram
Resources
Our Classes provide further useful Methods for getting the connection configured and response data accessed. Have an eye on the Class Documentation and the UML Diagram for further insights.
- Class Documentation: PHP-SDK, NODE-SDK, PYTHON-SDK, JAVA-SDK, GO-SDK, PERL-SDK
- HEXONET API Documentation
- CentralNic Reseller API Documentation
Basic Usage Examples
We have very basic Demo Apps available showing how to integrate and use our SDKs:
PHP-SDK, NODE-SDK, PYTHON-SDK, JAVA-SDK, GO-SDK, PERL-SDK
OT&E System
OT&E Sytem stands for Operational Test & Evaluation System. No costs, just for playing around with things. This system can be seen as a kind of sandbox system that allows to test your integration first before going live with it. This system and the use of our products and services is completely free of charge. To use this system, use APIClient’s method `useOTESystem`. Otherwise Live System will be used by default.
LIVE System
The real world system - This system and the use our services and products can lead to real costs depending on what you’re exactly doing. Live System will be used by default, but you can also use APIClient’s method `useLIVESystem` to add it in source code for reference.
Requirements
- Python 3
Installation Instructions
Use the following shell command to get our Module installed:
pip install hexonet.apiconnector
The connector library is now installed. Always ensure to have the latest release version in use.
High Performance Proxy Setup
Long distances to our main data center in Germany may result in high network latencies. If you encounter such problems, we highly recommend to use this setup, as it uses persistent connections to our API server and the overhead for connection establishments is omitted.
1 - Apache Modules
At least Apache version 2.2.9 is required.
The following Apache2 modules must be installed and activated:
proxy.conf
proxy.load
proxy_http.load
ssl.conf # for HTTPs connection to our API server
ssl.load # for HTTPs connection to our API server
2 - Apache Configuration
An example Apache configuration with binding to localhost (example for HEXONET!):
<VirtualHost 127.0.0.1:80>
ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
ServerSignature Off
SSLProxyEngine on
ProxyPass /api/call.cgi https://api.ispapi.net/api/call.cgi min=1 max=2
ProxyPass /api-ote/call.cgi https://api-ote.ispapi.net/api/call.cgi min=1 max=2
<Proxy *>
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from none
Allow from all
</Proxy>
</VirtualHost>
After saving your configuration changes please restart the Apache webserver. Basically, this example also works for any other Registrar API. You'll just have to customize the ProxyPass settings. ProxyPass snippet for CentralNic Reseller (CNR):
# ...
ProxyPass /api/call.cgi https://api.rrpproxy.net/api/call.cgi min=1 max=2
ProxyPass /api-ote/call.cgi https://api-ote.rrpproxy.net/api/call.cgi min=1 max=2
# ...
3 - Implementation
from hexonet.apiconnector.apiclient import APIClient as AC
cl = AC()
cl.useOTESystem()
cl.useHighPerformanceConnectionSetup() # Default Connection Setup would be used otherwise by default
cl.setCredentials('test.user', 'test.passw0rd')
r = cl.request({"COMMAND" => "StatusAccount"})
So, what happens in code behind the scenes? We communicate with localhost (so our proxy setup) that passes the requests to the HEXONET API. Of course we can’t activate this setup by default as it is based on Steps 1 and 2. Otherwise connecting to our API wouldn’t work.
Just in case the above port or ip address can’t be used, use function setURL instead to set a different URL / Port. http://127.0.0.1/api/call.cgi is the default URL for the High Performance Proxy Setup. e.g. $cl->setURL("http://127.0.0.1:8765/api/call.cgi"); would change the port. Configure that port also in the Apache Configuration (-> Step 2)!
Don’t use https for that setup as it leads to slowing things down as of the https overhead of securing the connection. In this setup we just connect to localhost, so no direct outgoing network traffic using http. The apache configuration finally takes care passing it to https for the final communication to the HEXONET API.
Customize Logging / Outputs
When having the debug mode activated hexonet.apiconnector.logger will be used for doing outputs by default. Of course it could be of interest for integrators to look for a way of getting this replaced by a custom mechanism like forwarding things to a 3rd-party software, logging into file or whatever.
from hexonet.apiconnector.apiclient import APIClient as AC
# import your module from your custom namespace of course
from hexonet.apiconnector.customlogger import CustomLogger as CL
cl = AC()
# LIVE System would be used otherwise by default
cl.useOTESystem()
# enable debug output (inactive by default)
cl.enableDebugMode()
# provide your custom logger mechanism
cl.setCustomLogger(CL())
cl.setCredentials("test.user", "test.passw0rd")
r = cl.request({"COMMAND" => "StatusAccount"})
NOTE: Find an example for a custom logger class implementation in hexonet/apiconnector/customlogger.py. If you have questions, feel free to open a github issue.