Connecting APIs
How to connect your APIs to Helper using OpenAPI specifications
Connecting APIs
Helper can integrate with your existing APIs through OpenAPI specifications, allowing it to perform actions in your application when helping your customers.
Prerequisites
Before connecting your API to Helper, ensure you have:
- An OpenAPI specification (version 3.0 or higher) for your API
- API credentials if your API requires authentication
- Access to your Helper mailbox settings
Connection Process
Access API Settings
Navigate to your mailbox settings and find the "Tools" section. This is where you can manage all your API connections.
Add a New API
Click the "Connect API" button to start the connection process.
Provide API Details
You'll need to provide the following information:
- API Name: A descriptive name for your API
- OpenAPI Spec URL: The URL where your OpenAPI specification is hosted
- API Key (optional): If your API requires authentication, provide the API key
Import Tools
After providing the necessary information, Helper will:
- Fetch the OpenAPI specification from the provided URL
- Parse the specification to identify available endpoints
- Convert these endpoints into tools that Helper can use
- Display the imported tools for your review
Configure Tools
Once the tools are imported, you can:
- Enable or disable specific tools
- Configure which tools are available in chat
- Set up any additional parameters required for the tools
Authentication
Helper supports API key authentication for your APIs. When connecting an API that requires authentication:
- Provide your API key during the connection process
- Helper securely stores this key and uses it when making API calls
- All API calls are made server-to-server, keeping your API key secure
Updating API Connections
You can update your API connections at any time:
- Navigate to the "Tools" section in your mailbox settings
- Find the API you want to update
- Click the edit button to modify the API details
- You can update the OpenAPI spec URL, API key, or other settings
- Helper will re-import the tools based on the updated specification
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues when connecting your API:
- Ensure your OpenAPI specification is valid and accessible
- Check that the API key has the necessary permissions
- Verify that your API is accessible from Helper's servers
- Review the error messages in the Helper interface for specific issues