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REST API

Also known as: RESTful API

Definition

REST API is an architectural style for designing HTTP APIs based on resources, standard verbs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and JSON responses. The de facto standard for modern APIs.

LATAM context

finO$'s API is pure REST: every resource (transactions, accounts, categories, statements, summary, periods) has its own URL, HTTP verbs express intent, errors follow convention (4xx client, 5xx server), and every response is JSON wrapped in the same envelope { data, pagination }.

Concrete example

GET /api/v1/summary?month=2026-07 returns the month's summary. GET /api/v1/transactions?from=2026-01-01&limit=200 lists paginated transactions. POST /api/v1/statements uploads a PDF and responds 202 because processing is asynchronous.

How it shows up on your bank statement

A REST API doesn't change what the bank statement says. It changes how you get it. Instead of downloading a PDF and opening it, a program sends the file and gets back already-structured transactions, in the same shape for every bank.

How does finO$ handle this?

finO$ publishes its OpenAPI spec at api.getfinos.com/api/v1/openapi.json. Official SDKs (Node, Python, PHP, Laravel) are still on the roadmap. Until then, any HTTP client works.

Related terms

Webhook OpenAPI Rate limit

Need to convert bank statements into structured data?

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Frequently asked questions about REST API

What's the difference between a REST API and just downloading a CSV?

A CSV is a file someone downloads and moves by hand; an API lets the process happen inside your system with no intervention. For a one-off, a CSV is plenty; for processing hundreds of statements a month, the difference is all the manual work that disappears.

Do I need to be a developer to use an API?

To integrate it directly, yes. Someone who doesn't code usually gets the same result by exporting from the dashboard, or by connecting automation tools that make the calls on their behalf.