Generic Extractor

What is Keboola's Generic Extractor?

Keboola's Generic Extractor is a versatile and powerful tool designed for connecting to virtually any REST-based API. If a dedicated extractor isn't available for your chosen data source, this flexible component ensures you can still seamlessly integrate your data. The Generic Extractor empowers you to configure API endpoints, authentication methods, and data mapping, providing complete control over your data retrieval and integration process.

Key Benefits of Using the Generic Extractor

• Ultimate Flexibility: Easily connect to any REST-based API, even custom or niche sources without dedicated extractors, maximizing your integration options.
• Full Customization: Configure every aspect, from authentication and endpoint selection to precise data mapping, ensuring data accuracy and relevance.
• Rapid Integration: Quickly set up data extraction, enabling agile, efficient workflows and accelerating your data-driven projects.
• Scalability: Achieve robust performance and resilience, scaling seamlessly as your data and business needs grow.

How Does the Generic Extractor Work?

The Generic Extractor interacts with your REST API in three straightforward steps:

1. Define API Endpoints: Start by specifying the endpoint URLs from which your data will be fetched. This can include product catalogs, customer data, financial information, social media metrics, and more.
2. Set Up Authentication: Securely authenticate using API tokens, OAuth, or other authentication methods supported by your data source. Keboola makes authentication easy and secure, safeguarding your data integrations.
3. Map Data Structure: Clearly define how the API responses should be transformed into organized tables or files within Keboola Storage. This includes specifying JSON paths, selecting relevant data points, and filtering or structuring the information exactly as needed for your analysis.

Common Use Cases for the Generic Extractor

The Generic Extractor is particularly useful in scenarios where there is no pre-built extractor available. Here are some practical examples:

• Custom Data Sources: Integrate internal APIs or newly developed web services effortlessly, even if no dedicated extractor exists yet.
• Social Media Analytics: Extract detailed user engagement metrics and social media data from platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn via their REST APIs.
• Financial Data Integration: Access real-time stock market data, currency exchange rates, transaction histories, or other financial information from services offering REST APIs.
• E-commerce Integration: Sync product details, inventory, pricing, and customer feedback directly from e-commerce platforms using their REST APIs, even if dedicated connectors haven't been developed.
• Proprietary Application Data: Easily connect proprietary or third-party applications with REST APIs, ensuring valuable data integration into your Keboola data pipeline for further analysis and decision-making.

Detailed Example: Integrating an E-commerce Platform

Imagine you've discovered an e-commerce platform offering a compelling REST API, but Keboola doesn't yet have a built-in extractor. With the Generic Extractor, integration becomes straightforward:

1. Identify API Endpoints: Determine the endpoints for product catalogs, inventory status, orders, or customer reviews.
2. Set Up Authentication: Use the provided API token or OAuth credentials supplied by the e-commerce platform for secure access.
3. Configure Data Mapping: Map the JSON response paths to tables, clearly defining how product details like SKU, price, availability, customer ratings, and other relevant fields will populate your Keboola Storage tables.

This integration enables continuous synchronization of product data, inventory statuses, and customer feedback, facilitating timely and accurate reporting, analytics, and dashboarding.

Complementing Your Data Workflow: Generic Writer

In addition to data extraction, Keboola also provides the Generic Writer. This complementary component allows you to send data from Keboola to external REST APIs, completing a full data flow cycle:

• Extract: Retrieve data from external REST APIs using the Generic Extractor.
• Process: Transform and enrich data within Keboola.
• Load: Push processed data to other external APIs or systems using the Generic Writer.

Why Choose Keboola for API Integration?

Beyond flexibility and ease-of-use, Keboola offers several advantages:

• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive UI allows even non-technical team members to configure and manage complex data integrations.
• Robust Security: Built-in security protocols ensure your sensitive data remains protected at every integration step.
• Advanced Support: Comprehensive documentation and expert support ensure smooth setup, configuration, and ongoing management.
• Scalable Infrastructure: Efficiently manage large volumes of data and easily scale your integrations as your business grows, without sacrificing performance.

Get Started with Keboola's Generic Extractor Today

Whether you're integrating custom applications, financial services, e-commerce platforms, or social media APIs, Keboola's Generic Extractor provides the flexibility, customization, and power you need. It's the ideal tool to unify your data sources, streamline your workflows, and empower your data-driven decision-making.

Ready to simplify your REST API integrations? Contact Keboola today or start your free trial!