title: API role: manual tags: #api #manual #zettelstore syntax: zmk back: 00001000000000 00001004010000 00001004020000 00001004051000 00001005000000 00001007720900 00001010000000 00001012920500 00001019990010 backward: 00001000000000 00001004010000 00001004020000 00001004051000 00001005000000 00001007720900 00001010000000 00001012053200 00001012920500 00001014000000 00001019990010 box-number: 1 copyright: (c) 2020-present by Detlef Stern created: 20210126175322 forward: 00001010040100 00001010040700 00001012050200 00001012050400 00001012050600 00001012051200 00001012051400 00001012051600 00001012051800 00001012053200 00001012053300 00001012053400 00001012053500 00001012053600 00001012053800 00001012054200 00001012054600 00001012070500 00001012080100 00001012080200 00001012080500 00001012920000 00001012930000 00001014000000 lang: en license: EUPL-1.2-or-later modified: 20250627124452 published: 20250627124452 visibility: public The API (short for “__A__pplication __P__rogramming __I__nterface”) is the primary way to communicate with a running Zettelstore. Most integration with other systems and services is performed via the API. The [web user interface](00001014000000) is just an alternative, secondary way of interacting with a Zettelstore. # Background The API is HTTP-based and uses plain text and [symbolic expressions](00001012930000) as its main encoding formats for exchanging messages between a Zettelstore and its client software. There is an [overview zettel](00001012920000) that shows the structure of the endpoints used by the API and gives an indication about its use. # Authentication If [authentication is enabled](00001010040100), most API calls must include an [access token](00001010040700) that proves the identity of the caller. * [Authenticate a user](00001012050200) to obtain an access token * [Renew an access token](00001012050400) without costly re-authentication * [Provide an access token](00001012050600) when doing an API call # Zettel lists * [List all zettel](00001012051200) * [Query the list of all zettel](00001012051400) * [Determine a tag zettel](00001012051600) * [Determine a role zettel](00001012051800) # Working with zettel * [Create a new zettel](00001012053200) * [Retrieve metadata and content of an existing zettel](00001012053300) * [Retrieve metadata of an existing zettel](00001012053400) * [Retrieve evaluated metadata and content of an existing zettel in various encodings](00001012053500) * [Retrieve parsed metadata and content of an existing zettel in various encodings](00001012053600) * [Retrieve references of an existing zettel](00001012053800) * [Update metadata and content of a zettel](00001012054200) * [Delete a zettel](00001012054600) # Various helper methods * [Retrieve administrative data](00001012070500) * [Execute some commands](00001012080100) * [Check for authentication](00001012080200) * [Refresh internal data](00001012080500)