> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usehandled.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating Unified APIs

> Build custom Unified APIs when you need schemas not in the catalog

## Create a Unified API

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Catalog">
    Go to **Catalog**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create">
    Click **Create Unified API**
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Basic Details

| Field    | Description                                 |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Name     | API identifier in kebab-case (e.g., `wms`)  |
| Label    | Display name (e.g., "Warehouse Management") |
| Category | Organizational grouping                     |

The name sets the API path: `/unified/{name}`

## Add Resources

Resources are the data types in your API (e.g., `orders`, `inventory`).

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Resources Tab">
    Click **Resources** tab
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Resource">
    Click **Add Resource**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name Resource">
    Enter name in snake\_case (e.g., `orders`)
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Define Schema

The schema describes your response structure:

```json theme={null}
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "id": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Unique order identifier"
    },
    "status": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Order status"
    },
    "line_items": {
      "type": "array",
      "description": "Products in the order"
    }
  }
}
```

## Add Methods

Methods define operations on resources.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select Resource">
    Select your resource
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Mapping Tab">
    Click **Mapping** tab
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Method">
    Click **Add Method**
  </Step>
</Steps>

Standard methods: `list`, `get`, `create`, `update`, `delete`

## Configure Mappings

For each integration, define how to translate data.

### Query Mapping

Transform query parameters:

```
Unified query: {status: "pending"}
Mapped to ShipHero: {order_status: "PENDING"}
```

### Response Mapping

Transform responses using JSONata:

```jsonata theme={null}
{
  "id": order_id,
  "status": $lowercase(order_status),
  "created_at": created_date
}
```

### Request Body Mapping

For create/update operations:

```jsonata theme={null}
{
  "order_title": body.name,
  "line_items": body.items
}
```

## Static Responses

For endpoints that return fixed data:

1. Enable **Static Mapping**
2. Define the response:

```json theme={null}
{
  "statuses": ["pending", "processing", "shipped", "delivered"]
}
```

No API call is made - the static response is returned directly.

## Before and After Steps

### Before Steps

Run before the main API call:

* Fetch related data
* Validate inputs
* Set up context

### After Steps

Run after the main API call:

* Enrich responses
* Fetch complete records after creates
* Log events