# Connect devices via RESTful

## About RESTful

With RESTful you can send HTTP requests (GET, POST, PUT, DELTE) to *resources* to query. A *resource* can be anything that contains information, e.g. documents, images, or services. 

Every resource has its own URL. Clients (e.g. Eliona) send HTTP requests to this URL. In response, clients receive status codes from the server and representations of the requested data, usually as .json or .xml.

In most cases, RESTful is used to integrate external devices or services into Eliona via GET request through their API.  

## What distinguishes RESTful from Webhook?

The most significant difference is the direction of communication.

* With RESTful, a client sends requests to a server. The server responds with a status code and (if possible) the requested data. For communication via RESTful, the exact address of the server, as well as that of the individual endpoints, must be known.
* With a webhook, communication originates from the server. The server actively sends data to the client in real time. The client does not need to make any requests. For communication via webhooks, the server must know the client's address.

## Procedure

The process for integrating devices via RESTful can be divided into the following steps:

1. First, a *connection* is created and configured. This connection contains the base URL to an API.
2. In this connection, individual *requests* are created. The individual parameters to be queried are entered into these requests.   

<figure><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/Nyvwhz1kEMXcHf4HLuZ8/blobs/Ki8vxHjdmJzFWP0FTpGr/Docs_Verbindungen%20-%20Verbindungen%20RESTful%20BaseURL.png" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Overview

<div data-full-width="true"><figure><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/Nyvwhz1kEMXcHf4HLuZ8/blobs/3GFuzQbFmCzlF8QtnBav/Docs_Verbindungen%20-%20Verbindungen%20RESTful.png" alt=""><figcaption><p>Fig. 1 – RESTful connections</p></figcaption></figure></div>

<div data-full-width="true"><figure><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/Nyvwhz1kEMXcHf4HLuZ8/blobs/aeQntzWTj8RcgRbAjamp/Docs_Verbindungen%20-%20Verbindungen%20RESTful%20Verbindung%20Details.png" alt=""><figcaption><p>Fig. 2 – RESTful connections (details)</p></figcaption></figure></div>

<table><thead><tr><th width="102.33333333333331">Icon</th><th>Description</th><th>Details</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>[A]</strong></td><td>Menu "Connections"</td><td>Click to open the "Connections" menu</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[B]</strong></td><td>Tab</td><td>Access to the respective interfaces</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[C]</strong></td><td>Workspace</td><td>Displays a list of existing connections (if any)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[D]</strong></td><td>connection</td><td>An existing connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[E]</strong></td><td>Show/hide requests</td><td>Click to show or hide requests assigned to this connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[F]</strong></td><td>requests</td><td>Individual requests</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[G]</strong></td><td>Pause/resume connection</td><td>Click to pause or restart a connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[H]</strong></td><td>Connection status</td><td>Shows the current status of the connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[I]</strong></td><td>Name</td><td>Connection name</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[J]</strong></td><td>URL</td><td>The base URL of the respective connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[K]</strong></td><td>requests</td><td>Shows how many requests are assigned to this connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[L]</strong></td><td>Add request</td><td>Click to add a request to the respective connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[M]</strong></td><td>New connection</td><td>Click to create a new connection</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[N]</strong></td><td>Connection details</td><td>Click to open the details of the respective connection. Opens the ↗ connection details</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[O]</strong></td><td>Delete connection</td><td>Deletes the respective connection. ⚠ Warning: If the connection is also used in other projects, it will be deleted there as well.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>[P]</strong></td><td>Request details</td><td>Click to edit the details of the respective request.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Create new connection

1. Click in the sidebar on **Connection \[A]**\
   ▷ The “Connections” window opens
2. Select in the tab **RESTful \[B]** from
3. In the workspace **\[C]**  a list of the already existing connections **\[D]** is displayed \
   ◈ If you do not see any entries, there are no connections yet \
   ◈ Connections configured in other projects are also displayed
4. Click on **\[M]**, to set up a new connection \
   ▷ The window opens [↗ "Configure RESTful connection"](https://docs.buildings.ability.abb/collection/english-v14/connectivity-as-a-service/connect-devices-with-abb-buildingpro/connect-devices-via-restful/configure-restful-connection)&#x20;

Continue in chapter [↗ "Configure RESTful connection"](https://docs.buildings.ability.abb/collection/english-v14/connectivity-as-a-service/connect-devices-with-abb-buildingpro/connect-devices-via-restful/configure-restful-connection)&#x20;

## Edit existing connection

1. Click in the sidebar on **Connection \[A]**\
   ▷ The “Connections” window opens
2. Select in the tab **RESTful \[B]** from
3. In the workspace **\[C]**  a list of the already existing connections **\[D]** is displayed \
   ◈ If you do not see any entries, there are no connections yet \
   ◈ Connections configured in other projects are also displayed
4. Click on **\[M]**, to set up a new connection \
   ▷ The window opens [↗ "Configure RESTful connection"](https://docs.buildings.ability.abb/collection/english-v14/connectivity-as-a-service/connect-devices-with-abb-buildingpro/connect-devices-via-restful/configure-restful-connection)&#x20;

Continue in chapter [↗ "Configure RESTful connection"](https://docs.buildings.ability.abb/collection/english-v14/connectivity-as-a-service/connect-devices-with-abb-buildingpro/connect-devices-via-restful/configure-restful-connection)&#x20;