# Requests

### Making a Request

#### Host

The host for Web API v1 requests is always `https://api.iafcertsearch.org/api/client/v1`

{% hint style="info" %}
All requests must be made over HTTPS. The API does not support HTTP.
{% endhint %}

#### Authorization Header

You must provide an authorization header as described in [Authentication](broken://pages/DyahTu2lCWWgrlI5yYzO).

#### HTTP Verbs

* `GET` Retrieve a resource or group of resources
* `POST` Create a new resource
* `PUT` Update an existing resource
* `DELETE` Delete an existing resource
* `OPTIONS` View allowed verbs against a specific resource

#### Accept Header

The API provides JSON responses. It doesn’t currently require the accept header, but might in the future. If not set, the API will use `application/json`.

```http
GET https://api.iafcertsearch.org/api/client/v1/endpoint HTTP/1.1
Accept: application/json
```

#### Arrays of Data

When you send an array of data in a `GET` request, you will include the parameter multiple times on the URL. The parameter name does not require brackets.

```http
GET https://api.iafcertsearch.org/api/client/v1/endpoint?parameter=data1&parameter=data2 HTTP/1.1
```

### Formatting Your Request

#### Request Body

When submitting data to a resource via `POST` or `PUT`, you must submit your payload in JSON.

```http
POST https://api.iafcertsearch.org/api/client/v1/example/ HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/json
```

```json
{
  "name": "new example name"
}
```

#### Pagination

Some `GET` resources allow for retrieval of information in batches. We will provide the query parameters in the resource documentation when applicable.

When requesting multiple items, we will default the request `limit` to `20` items. You can specify a different limit using the `limit` parameter when you need to. The maximum value for the `limit` parameter that we accept is `100`.

Below you can see an example of an API request which retrieves the first 100 records as specified by the `limit=100` and `offset=0` parameters.

To retrieve the next batch of records, increment the offset parameter by `1`.

```http
GET https://api.iafcertsearch.org/api/client/v1/resource?limit=100&offset=0 HTTP/1.1
```

### Successful Requests

| **Verb** | **Resource object returned**                                  |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| GET      | Returns a single resource object or array of resource objects |
| PATCH    | Returns the updated resource object                           |
| PUT      | Returns the updated resource object                           |
| DELETE   | No content is returned                                        |
| POST     | Returns the newly created resource object                     |


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://support.iafcertsearch.org/api-developer-guide/api-integration/requests.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.