JSON:API, explained
JSON:API is a shared convention for asking for data and describing the result. In MyCRM it gives contacts, deals and other resources a consistent shape, so the same client patterns work across the API.
Think of a response as a primary set of records plus a map of connections. Each record has an identity, its own fields, and links to related records. Related records do not have to be nested inside each other.
| Part | What it tells you |
|---|---|
data | The record or collection you asked for |
type and id | Which resource this is |
attributes | The resource's own business fields |
relationships | Connections to other resources |
included | Related resource details requested alongside the primary data |
links | URLs for navigation, relationships or pagination |
meta | Additional information about the result |
errors | Details of an unsuccessful request |
Why this helps your business
A contact list, a reporting feed and an enquiry workflow can share a consistent way of reading records and following their connections. Developers spend less time translating a different response shape for every endpoint. Your integration can request a smaller set of fields and fetch useful related records together.
JSON is the data format. JSON:API adds conventions for how that data is organised and requested. You still choose which MyCRM capability your workflow needs and obtain permission to use it.
Choose the control that matches the question
| Your question | Control |
|---|---|
| Which records do I want? | filter |
| In what order? | sort |
| Which part of the result set? | page[size] and page[number] |
| Which fields on each record? | fields[resource-type] |
| Which connected records should arrive too? | include |
Selecting fewer fields does not filter out records. Including addresses does not filter the contact list to people with an address. Those are separate decisions.
Learn with one example
Start with a contact named Alex and their postal address:
- Read the response.
- Connect the relationship identifiers.
- Shape and filter the result.
- Create and update resources.
- Experiment in the playground.
- Apply filter construction and client patterns to your integration.
The standard and MyCRM
JSON:API defines the document structure, relationship linkage, inclusion and sparse fieldsets. It reserves query parameter families such as filter and page, while leaving their strategy to implementations.
MyCRM defines its filter-expression syntax, page sizes, supported fields, include depth and request costs. A resource being present does not imply all operations or all query features are enabled for it. Use the endpoint reference and the guides together.
Read the JSON:API specification for the underlying standard. This site documents MyCRM's supported behaviour; features described by a newer version or extension of the standard are not automatically enabled here.