What is API-based data extraction conceptually?

< 1 min read

API-based data extraction means retrieving data by calling an application’s API instead of querying its database or reading files.
In one project, we pulled order and customer data from a SaaS CRM using REST APIs.
The ETL job sent requests with authentication tokens and received JSON responses.
We parsed the JSON and loaded it into staging tables.
Pagination was handled because the API returned 500 records per call.
We also respected rate limits by scheduling calls every few minutes.
Incremental logic used updated_at timestamps provided by the API.
If the API failed, retries and logging captured the error details.
It’s useful when direct database access isn’t allowed or systems are cloud-hosted.

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