---
title: REST API Explorer
description: Starting with IDM 8.1, the API Explorer is deprecated and is no longer bundled with IDM. It's available as a separate download from the Backstage download site.
component: pingidm
version: 8.1
page_id: pingidm:rest-api-reference:api-explorer
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/8.1/rest-api-reference/api-explorer.html
keywords: ["REST API", "Tools"]
section_ids:
  example: Example
  disable_the_api_explorer: Disable the API Explorer
---

# REST API Explorer

|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | Starting with IDM 8.1, the API Explorer is deprecated and is no longer bundled with IDM. It's available as a separate download from the [Backstage download site](https://backstage.forgerock.com/downloads).To continue using the API Explorer, follow the steps in [Install the legacy admin UI](../setup-guide/legacy-admin-ui.html). |

The IDM API Explorer, an implementation of the [OpenAPI Initiative Specification](https://swagger.io/solutions/getting-started-with-oas/), also known as Swagger, covers many of the endpoints provided with a default IDM installation.

Each endpoint lists supported HTTP methods, such as POST and GET. When custom actions are available, the API Explorer lists them as:

```none
HTTP Method /path/to/endpoint?_action=something
```

## Example

To see the API Explorer in action, follow along with this procedure:

1. To access the API Explorer, log in to the admin UI, click the question mark button [icon: question-circle, set=fas]in the upper right corner, and select [icon: code, set=fas]API Explorer.

   |   |                                                                                                                                                                              |
   | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | If the API Explorer does not display, you might need to enable it in your `resolver/boot.properties` file by setting the `openidm.apidescriptor.enabled` property to `true`. |

2. Expand the User v1.0 endpoint node, and click GET /openidm/managed/user1.0\_query\_id\_query-all.

   ![API Explorer - User Node](_images/apiExpUserNode.png)

3. Click Try it out!, and then click Execute.

   The output includes:

   * The REST call, in the form of the `curl` command.

   * The request URL, which specifies the endpoint and associated parameters.

   * The response body, which contains the data that you requested.

   * The HTTP response code; if everything works, this should be `200`.

     |   |                                                                                                                                                    |
     | - | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
     |   | If you refer to a `401 Access Denied` code in the response body, your session may have timed out, and you'll have to log in to the admin UI again. |

   * Response headers.

   > **Collapse: Example Output**
   >
   > ![apiExpOutput](_images/apiExpOutput.png)

For details on common REST parameters, refer to [Common REST](../crest/about-crest.html).

You'll refer to examples of REST calls throughout this documentation set. You can try these calls with the API Explorer.

You can also generate an OpenAPI-compliant descriptor of the REST API to provide API reference documentation specific to your deployment. The following command saves the API descriptor of the managed/user endpoint to a file named `my-openidm-api.json`:

```
curl \
--header "X-OpenIDM-Username: openidm-admin" \
--header "X-OpenIDM-Password: openidm-admin" \
--header "Accept-API-Version: resource=1.0" \
--request GET \
--output "my-openidm-api.json" \
"http://localhost:8080/openidm/managed/user?_api"
```

For information about publishing reference documentation using the API descriptor, refer to [Publish OpenAPI Documentation](../crest/about-crest.html#use-openapi-descriptors).

## Disable the API Explorer

If you've already installed and configured the legacy admin UI, but want to disable the API Explorer, delete the `api/` directory from your Nginx `html` webroot.

|   |                                                                                   |
| - | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | Learn more in [Install the legacy admin UI](../setup-guide/legacy-admin-ui.html). |