What users are authorized to use the REST API in Crowd?

[Ethan Trewhitt]

I'm trying to use the Crowd REST API for the first time. When I access this URL, I am given a basic authentication window by my browser, but the username/password combo that I use to administer Crowd from the web interface does not work.

https://hostname:8444/crowd/rest/usermanagement/latest/user?username=adminuser

(Host and user name changed for privacy)

How does Crowd determine who has REST API access?

[Diego Berrueta]

Hi Ethan,

I'm happy to hear that you solved the problem. The authentication is explained in the second paragraph of the Introduction to Crowd REST APIs. We are always open to suggestions on how to improve the documentation, please don't hesitate to share your feedback.

[Ethan Trewhitt]

I missed that sentence. The page that confused me was the one named Using the Crowd REST APIs in its "Authentication" section. Part of my confusion, I believe, stemmed from the fact that the articles covering REST-related documation in Crowd are poorly named:

1. Overview of the Crowd REST APIs
2. Crowd REST APIs
3. Crowd REST Resources
4. Using the Crowd REST APIs

Along with a couple other pages with more specific names, these represent the whole set of docs. All four of these names seem to refer to the same general idea, so even when I have all four open in tabs in my browser, it's tough to figure out which one has which content.

[Diego Berrueta]

Thank you, that's good feedback.

[Ethan Trewhitt]

Looks like the authentication is based on the application list. I created a custom "Generic Application" for my REST API queries. The basic authentication process expects the application name/key as the user name and the application password as the password. This is unclear in the documentation.