Build APIs

Build and Test an API

A practical API Builder journey from namespace selection to testing the response before operational rollout.

Updated 2026-05-1514 minutes read
Before you begin
  • Source dataset available in Tamaat

This is the simplest practical API Builder journey: choose the namespace, define the product, connect the data, secure access, and test the result before operational handoff.

Example sequence

  1. Open API Builder.
  2. Choose the workspace namespace and published domain.
  3. Choose the API type.
  4. Attach the source dataset or datasets.
  5. Configure request matching and response fields.
  6. Define access controls.
  7. Save and index the product.
  8. Test the API before you hand it to another team or client.
  9. Use Logs, Monitoring, and Traffic once requests begin flowing.

How API Builder reads your data

API Builder works with managed GeoParquet-backed vector layers only. Upload ingest, empty create, and future enterprise connectors all use the same on-platform contract: a GeoParquet managed snapshot plus hot edit deltas in Postgres during active edit sessions.

When you save or rebuild an API product, Tamaat:

  1. Reads the bound layer/version row through DuckDB (GeoParquet snapshot + hot deltas).
  2. Materializes a search index in Postgres (api_product_documents).
  3. Serves public autocomplete, geocode, and query requests from that materialized index for low latency.

Index consistency: The materialized index reflects the GeoParquet and hot-delta state observed while the rebuild queries run. It is not a transactionally frozen snapshot across the entire layer. If the source layer changes during rebuild, the index converges on the next rebuild after the product is marked stale.

Stale index: While a rebuild is in progress, public endpoints may return 503 Service Unavailable with a retry hint rather than silently serving outdated results.