This document discusses using an API-first approach to integrate the CKAN data management platform with research data services. It notes that CKAN uses a RESTful API with JSON that allows full access and editing of any information on CKAN. Examples are given of how the API could be used to import and export data, query datasets, and connect CKAN with other systems. It encourages testing the upcoming CKAN v2 API.

1. An API-first approach
Integrating CKAN with RDM services.
Joss Winn, Centre for Educational Research and Development. 24th October 2012

2. Eating Your Own Dog Food:
Building a repository with API-driven development
From the very start, Orbital has been API-centric.
orbital.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk

3. Choosing CKAN for research data management
We switched to CKAN because they caught up with us ;-)
orbital.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk

4. orbital.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk

5. orbital.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk

6. http://docs.ckan.org/en/latest/api.html
• Access any bit of information in CKAN (if you are authorised!)
• Edit any piece of information in CKAN
• Create a whole new web front-end for CKAN (if you want!)
The CKAN API follows the RESTful style and uses JSON by default.
Client tools in various languages.
orbital.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk

7. Some uses…
• Identify researcher from CRIS
• Create research group
• Create research project
• Set user roles and permissions
• Create dataset record
• Import dataset (from file storage, instrument, ‘big data’, etc.)
• Export dataset (e.g. csv, xls)
• Query dataset (full SQL queries)
• Export for SWORD conversion (e.g. via Bridge to ePrints)
orbital.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk

8. http://demo.ckan.org
Try the up-coming CKAN v2 for yourself!
orbital.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk