Create a Manual Endpoint in Data Virtualization

Introduction

Manual responses are API endpoints that return a simple, static output every time, no matter what input is sent in the request. They are fully configured in FME Flow and do not change based on request data.

Manual endpoints are useful when you need to deliver consistent, predefined information. Common examples include fixed metadata, service status updates, or reference details. Because they do not connect to workspaces or pull from external data sources, manual endpoints are lightweight and straightforward. They also do not support caching or asynchronous processing. If you need a response that changes based on input, you would use a workspace-based endpoint instead.

From the user’s perspective, manual and workspace endpoints look very similar. The key difference is that manual endpoints always return a fixed response, while workspace endpoints can react dynamically based on incoming data and connected systems.

Data Virtualization is currently in technical preview within the 2025.1 beta and should not be used for production. Note that documentation may change rapidly and not reflect the current build. This article was written with FME 2025.1 b25562.

Learning Objectives

After completing this lesson, you’ll be able to:

• Use Tags to manage endpoints
• Create a Manual Endpoint

Step-by-Step Instructions

This exercise defines a manual endpoint, GET /about, which returns general business information about the EnvironData API and its managing department.

The EnvironData Coordination Office is beginning to publish endpoints that provide users with specific types of information. The /about endpoint serves as a simple entry point, offering context about the API’s purpose and how it can be used. It is a static response that does not depend on external data sources.

1. Create a Tag

From the Environmental Impact and Response API page in FME Flow, click the Endpoints tab. From this tab, API endpoints can be created, updated, organized, and deleted.

Eventually, you will probably have many different endpoints listed in this tab, each defining a different action in your API. Tags are used to organize these endpoints into groups. Authors may define tags that share similar themes, such as subject matter, data resources, parameters, or schemas. The tags help end users find and identify relevant endpoints in the documentation. 

Click the Manage Tags button to open the tag management dialog.

Click Create and enter parameters for a new tag:  

Click Create.

Click Close to return to the Endpoints tab. The new general tag is now listed, and endpoints can be added to it. 

2. Create a Manual Endpoint

Click Create to open the Create Endpoint dialog. 

In the Create Endpoint Details tab, set the following values: 

*Endpoints can have individual security settings, or adopt the security configurations (such as authentication, users, and roles) from the parent API. 

Next, navigate to the Response tab. Set Response Type to Manual. Set the following values: 

To create the endpoint, click Create. 

A new GET /about endpoint is found under the general tag. 

Now that the GET /about endpoint is configured, we can demonstrate making a request.

3. Make a Request from the Documentation

In FME Flow, navigate to the API Details tab and launch the Swagger documentation (View Documentation).

The newly created endpoint, GET /about, is now listed under a new “general” tag. 

Click the GET /about endpoint to expand the request details. Click the Try it out button to test a request. 

Click Execute to make the request. Since the EnvionData API is authenticated by default, a login window may appear before the request is executed. Enter your FME Flow credentials to create a temporary session token that can be used for making requests directly from the API documentation. 

Once the credentials are submitted, the request is executed and the real-time response is displayed directly within the webpage, under the Server Response section. In this case, we receive a 200 OK status code along with the expected response body.

If the credentials were incorrect, the response would instead return a 401 Unauthorized status code, indicating an authentication failure. 

The Swagger documentation is a powerful tool for testing API behavior in real-time. It allows you to experiment with different parameters, credentials, and scenarios (including error conditions) without writing any code.

Also returned by the Swagger documentation response is an example request in Curl and the Request URL. These can be copied and used in other applications for testing. 

3. Copy Request URL

For the next tutorial, we will need the Request URL. Copy the Request URL and continue to Secure Data Virtualization Endpoints with Authentication. Also, leave the Swagger documentation open for quick reference.