> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.digitalapi.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.digitalapi.ai/developer-portal/discover-apis/exploring-an-api.md).

# Exploring an API

When a consumer opens an API from the catalog, the detail page gives them everything needed to evaluate it, try it, subscribe, and get credentials. This page walks every tab on the API detail page, then the Product detail page that bundles several APIs together. The examples use the **banking-customers** API.

![Figure 1. The banking-customers detail page on the Overview tab. The status row shows the type, version, environment, subscription state, and the star rating.](/files/wnV4WKkfmwpuEGMJv4ro)

### The status row

Above the tabs, every API detail page shows a fixed status row:

* **Type and version**: a type badge (for example **API**) and the version (for example **v0**).
* **Environment**: a badge such as **Production** that tells the consumer which stage they are looking at.
* **Subscription state**: **Unsubscribed**, or the active state once the consumer has an application subscribed to the API.
* **Star rating**: a five-star control with the average score and rating count (for example **3.5 (2)**). A consumer rates the API here. Rating is available to consumers who use the API, so the stars become active once the consumer has an application under **My Apps** (see [Creating an application](#creating-an-application) below).
* **Add to Compare**: adds the API to a side-by-side comparison view.

### The tabs

| Tab               | What it shows                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Overview**      | A summary of what the API does, drawn from the provider's metadata (for example *Banking operations including fetching customer details*). Reads *No overview available* if the provider left it blank.                           |
| **Documentation** | Human-readable docs: version, **Base URL**, **Authentication**, and the **Endpoints** list grouped by tag (for example **Banking - Customers**), plus quick-access cards for Getting Started, API Reference, SDKs, and Changelog. |
| **Specification** | The interactive OpenAPI reference.                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Test this API** | An in-browser console to send sample requests, where the provider has enabled it.                                                                                                                                                 |
| **My Apps**       | The consumer's applications for this API: create an app, view its credentials, and unsubscribe.                                                                                                                                   |
| **Comments**      | Consumer questions and provider replies. **Add a comment** takes a Subject and a Comment.                                                                                                                                         |
| **Change Log**    | The API's revision history. Reads *No revision history available* when there is none.                                                                                                                                             |

### Specification tab

The Specification tab renders the API's OpenAPI document as a three-pane reference: an operations list on the left, the selected operation in the centre, and request samples on the right.

![Figure 2. The Specification tab: operations grouped by tag, the selected operation with its request body and responses, and a Request samples panel.](/files/TtfgMOjp2PIo2EOMAAvu)

* **Operations list**: every operation by method and name, grouped by tag (for example, under **Banking - Customers**: **GET Get all customers**, **POST Create a new customer**).
* **Download OpenAPI specification**: downloads the raw spec.
* **Authentication**: the security schemes the API uses, such as **apiKeyHeader** (an API key sent in the `Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key` header) and **apiKeyQuery** (a `subscription-key` query parameter).
* **Per-operation detail**: authorizations, the **Request Body Schema** (for example `name`, `email`, `phone`), and **Responses** (for example **201 Customer created successfully**).
* **Request samples**: ready-to-copy snippets in many languages (cURL, Java OkHttp, and more), with a content-type selector and a **Copy** button.

### Creating an application

The **My Apps** tab is where a consumer subscribes to this API and gets the credentials to call it. A fresh account shows *You haven't created any applications for this API yet*.

![Figure 3. The My Apps tab, where a consumer creates an application and manages its credentials.](/files/52Z8yyooqwMKMrpY8leL)

1. Open the **My Apps** tab and click **Create App**.
2. Enter an **Application Name** and click **Create**.
3. The portal issues **Application Credentials** (a client identifier and secret) for the app, which the gateway validates on every call.
4. To stop using the API, open the app and use **Unsubscribe Application**, giving a **Reason** when prompted.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** Credentials are validated at the gateway, not in the portal. The portal is a management surface and is not in the request path.
{% endhint %}

### Comments tab

The Comments tab is a threaded conversation between consumers and the provider. Each comment shows the author, a timestamp, a subject, and the message, with a **Reply** action that opens a nested thread.

![Figure 4. The Comments tab, with a subject line, the comment body, and threaded replies.](/files/CXPMbrvbwjhNMFM6uWBT)

* **Add a comment**: takes a **Subject** and a **Comment**, then posts it to the thread.
* **Reply**: responds under an existing comment, keeping the discussion grouped.
* Use it to ask the provider about behaviour, report a gap in the docs, or confirm an endpoint before you subscribe.

### Change Log tab

The Change Log tab records the API's revision history so a consumer can see what changed and when before they adopt or upgrade.

![Figure 5. The Change Log tab: a dated history of revisions with author, state, and a change note.](/files/T3zzge8MU9ofGE8gEhq7)

Each row lists the **Date**, the **Author**, the **State** (for example **Published**), and a **Change Note** describing the revision. A **Current** badge marks the version the consumer is viewing.

### The Product detail page

A Product bundles several APIs under one subscribable offering. Opening a Product from the catalog shows three tabs.

![Figure 6. The APIs tab on the Bankbranchlocator-Gold Product, listing every API the Product includes.](/files/oXECnnARdMW4npSENMCE)

* **Overview**: the Product summary and description.
* **APIs**: every API the Product includes, each with its name, version, description, and a **View API** link to that API's detail page (for example **Branch Locator Original**).
* **My Apps**: applications subscribed to the Product, with the same **Create App**, **Application Credentials**, and **Unsubscribe Application** controls as an API. Subscribing an app to a Product grants it access to every API in the Product. The page also offers **Keep subscription** and **Cancel subscription** controls.

### Verify

* On an API, confirm the Specification tab renders operations and the **Download OpenAPI specification** button works.
* After **Create App**, confirm the app appears under **My Apps** with its credentials and the subscription state updates from **Unsubscribed**.
* On a Product, confirm the **APIs** tab lists the bundled APIs and **View API** opens each one.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Result:** The consumer can evaluate the API across all tabs, read its discussion and revision history, subscribe an application, collect its credentials, and rate the API once they are using it.
{% endhint %}


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