Where to start with API's?

[Network-dad]

Hello Everyone,

We have Meraki deployed in some for across all of our locations and slowly moving to full stack at all locations... I love everything I can do with Meraki but with that said I'm ready to take things to the next level … Enter API's.... I'm looking for advice where to start and get a crash course in there integration with Meraki and what all I can do. 

[PhilipDAth · Accepted solution]

Perhaps try the "Getting started with Meraki" learning modules.

https://developer.cisco.com/learning/modules/getting-started-with-meraki 

If you want to level up, it's Python you are going to need to concentrate on.

The general resources for developers are located here:

https://developer.cisco.com/meraki/ 

If you want a quick feeling of success, scroll down to "How does the Python SDK work?" on that page and follow those steps.

[MerakiDave]

Just to add to Philip's response, here's a simple self-paced lab that takes you through step by step and uses Postman to make some GET/PUT/POST commands and you'll get a really good feel for the Dashboard API in just an hour or two.  https://developer.cisco.com/meraki/build/meraki-postman-collection-getting-started/

[BrechtSchamp]

Yeah definitely postman and then python.

Have a look at this write-up I made not so long ago:

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Introduce-Yourself/Hullo/m-p/87641/highlight/true#M700

[Edgar-VO]

Hi,

Best practice for me was just create a small organisation for yourself.. Add some devices to it..(just claim devices) . After 30 days , unclaim and add the device (or you can make a script which does that)

Think of what you want to achieve and just start programming in python which is a very easy language to master... Just like the good ole BASIC.

Postman is good for simple API commonds, but not suitable for making batch and check/loops etc. Once you are familiar in Python and Meraki API, you never use the postman program, only the Postman/Meraki API guide

https://documenter.getpostman.com/view/7928889/SVmsVg6K?version=latest#intro

Basic start with Meraki API is :

import meraki

import apikey

api_key = apikey.Get_Api_Key("COMPANY")

dashboard       = meraki.DashboardAPI(api_key)

my_org = dashboard.organizations.getOrganizations()

for org in my_org:

        org_id = org['id']

api_key is created in the dashboard. copy and save it

Any other questions.... just post them here, and i am pretty sure you have answers soon. Many of us have created several scripts already to perform actions. My company has a 300+ network environment and we make scripts to make live so much easier.

Enjoy the API

Ed