NEWS: Launch of IATI Datastore API version 3

Dear Community-members,

IATI is delighted to announce the launch today of its new Datastore API on IATI’s Unified Platform, fulfilling a commitment to members to integrate IATI’s datastore in-house. The new version of the Datastore API is built to a higher specification, with lower costs and greater efficiency than was possible with previous versions.

Among a range of enhancements, the IATI Datastore version 3 API fully delivers three key features requested by the IATI community:

• Updates in less than 24 hours
• Can return activity, transaction and budget data filtered by any element or attribute in the IATI Activity Standard
• Returns all valid activity data for each activity

Important: Datastore API does not contain IATI data with critical errors

Please note, the IATI Datastore only contains data that adheres to the IATI XML Schema. This means that if an organisation publishes data containing critical errors (as identified by the IATI Validator), this data will not be accessible via the IATI Datastore. Anyone can use the IATI Validator to check whether:

• an IATI data file has critical errors (and therefore does not enter the Datastore) 
• the date when the file was validated
• the date a valid file entered the IATI Datastore. 

Access guidance 

IATI has produced a series of user guides and documentation to help get you started with the IATI Datastore version 3 API:

1. How to use the API Gateway

Instructions on how to sign up for an account on the API Gateway. An account is needed before you can start using the IATI Datastore API.

1. How to use the new IATI Datastore API

A step-by-step guide on how to form queries using the API. A link to the full SOLR documentation is included within this guide.

1. IATI Datastore version 3 API Contract

API features that IATI is committed to maintain. IATI will not introduce breaking changes within version 3 of the Datastore API i.e. the format of queries and data received will not change within version 3.

1. Transitioning from iati.cloud to the IATI Datastore API version 3

Lays out the differences between the previous version of the IATI datastore (now IATI.cloud) and the new IATI Datastore version 3 API. Includes instructions on how to edit your queries so the same data is returned.

API Call Redirects - 6 month transition to API Gateway

Existing API calls to https://iatidatastore.iatistandard.org were previously redirected to the IATI Community’s Datastore Classic (since July 2021). As announced, as of today API calls to https://iatidatastore.iatistandard.org are being redirected to IATI’s Datastore API version 3. These redirects will last for 6 months. During this time API users will receive an XML response in the same format as that provided by Datastore Classic. This is to ensure no users’ work will be disrupted as a result of the change. 

After 6 months, users will need to transition to using the IATI API Gateway.

Upcoming work: Powering IATI tools

Launching the new version of the Datastore marks an essential step in the journey to improve access to IATI data. In 2022 the new API will be used to power new IATI data tools to meet the needs of a wide range of data users.

IATI’s Technical Team plans to build a web application for the Datastore. In addition, the data presented by the next version of d-portal will be consistent with that of the Datastore.

Additional Support

For further support on using (or transitioning over to) the new API, please contact the IATI Helpdesk: support@iatistandard.org. IATI’s Technical Team will happily set up a call to help get you started.