The HDPhotoHub API lets you connect other software to your HDPhotoHub account so information can move back and forth automatically - no manual entry required.
Anything you do by clicking around in your account (looking up a client’s sites, opening an order, creating a new site, adding a client) can also be done by another program making a request to the API. You send a request, we send information back. That’s really all an API is: a more automated way of doing the things you already do in your account.
This article covers where to find your API Key, what the API can do, and a few common ways businesses use it.
Note: Working with the API requires some technical knowledge or a developer. You don’t need it to run your business - it’s an optional tool for automating repetitive work or connecting HDPhotoHub to other systems you use.
What the API can do
The API is organized around the same objects you already work with in your account:
| Area | What it covers |
| Brand | Details about your business |
| Users | Your clients and team members - look them up, create or update them, get a list, view their transactions |
| Sites | Property sites - look one up, search for them by client or address, create a new one, update details, change the status, or set the sort order of the media |
| Media | The photos, videos, and other items on a site - add, update, or remove them |
| Orders | Look up a single order or get a list of orders |
| Groups | Create, update, and remove groups |
| Webhooks | Set up and manage the notifications we send to your other systems |
Requests use standard web methods, and the documentation tells you which one each request needs:
- GET — “give me some information” (for example, get a site, get a list of orders)
- POST — “create something new” (for example, create a site)
- PUT — “create or update something” (for example, create or update a client)
-
DELETE — “remove something” (for example, delete a media item)
A few ways businesses use the API
Look up information without logging in. A request for a client’s sites returns the same list you’d see under Clients > Sites - the address, when it was created, whether there’s an unpaid balance - but in a format another program can read and act on. From there you can request a specific site and get its full details, including every media item with its download URL, type, name, and sort order.
Create clients automatically. If you have an arrangement with a brokerage that sends you a standard email for each new agent, a script can pull the details out of that email and create the client in HDPhotoHub for you. The API sends back the new user’s ID so your system can reference them later.
Automate media housekeeping. Rearranging photo order or renaming media across a site can be handled programmatically instead of one item at a time.
Sync with your other tools. Pull order and transaction information into your accounting, reporting, or CRM system so you’re not exporting and importing by hand.
API vs. Webhooks - what’s the difference?
These two often get used together, and the difference comes down to who starts the conversation.
- The API is you asking us. Your system sends a request whenever it wants something - get this order, create this client, update this site. Nothing happens until your system asks.
- A webhook is us telling you. Something happens in your account (a new order comes in, a delivery email goes out) and we automatically send a notification to a URL you’ve given us. Your system decides what to do with it.
They pair well. A webhook tells you that something happened; if you need more detail than the notification includes, your system can turn around and make an API request to get the rest. For example: a webhook lets you know a delivery email was sent, and your system then calls the API to pull the full media list for that site.
Common responses and what they mean
When you make a request, you get back a status code along with the information:
| Code | Meaning | What to check |
| 200 | Success | The response includes the data you asked for |
| 401 | Unauthorized | The API Key is missing, mistyped, or no longer exists |
| 404 | Not found | The ID you sent doesn’t exist - check the site, order, or user ID |
If something isn’t working, the most useful details to gather are the method being used (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), the full URL being sent, and the response coming back. With those three, the request can be re-run in the Try It tool in your documentation to confirm what’s happening.
Where to find your API Key
For step-by-step instructions with screenshots, see the Step-by-Step section below.
Every request to the API has to be authorized with an API Key so we know which account it belongs to. You create and manage your keys inside your account.
Step 1: Click the Business tab at the top of the page
Step 2: Click the Webhooks & API tab on the left-hand side of the page
Step 3: Create a new API Key, or click the copy icon next to an existing one
Step 4: Copy your API Key and give the key to whoever is building your integration
The key is sent with every request in a header named api_key. If the key is missing, mistyped, or has been deleted, the request will come back with a 401 Unauthorized error.
Note: Treat your API Key like a password. Anyone who has it can read and change data in your account. If a key is ever shared by mistake, delete it and create a new one.
Where to find the API Documentation
For step-by-step instructions with screenshots, see the Step-by-Step section below.
The full technical documentation lives inside your own account, so the examples always match your domain.
Step 1: Click the Business tab at the top of the page
Step 2: Click the Webhooks & API tab on the left-hand side of the page
Step 3: Click the Documentation link
The documentation lists every available request, what information you have to send with it, and what comes back. It also has a built-in Try It feature: paste an API Key into the authentication box at the top, click Set, and you can run real requests against your own account right from the page. This is a great way to see exactly what a request returns before writing any code.
Step-by-step on finding your API Key and API Documentation
Finding your API Key
Step 1: Click the Business tab at the top of the page
Step 2: Click the Webhooks & API tab on the left-hand side of the page
Step 3: Create a new API Key, or click the copy icon next to an existing one
Step 4: Copy your API key and give the key to whoever is building your integration
Note: Treat your API Key like a password. Anyone who has it can read and change data in your account. If a key is ever shared by mistake, delete it and create a new one.
Finding the API Documentation
Step 1: Click the Business tab at the top of the page
Step 2: Click the Webhooks & API tab on the left-hand side of the page
Step 3: Click the Documentation link
The documentation lists every available request, what information you have to send with it, and what comes back. It also has a built-in Try It feature: paste an API Key into the authentication box at the top, click Set, and you can run real requests against your own account right from the page. This is a great way to see exactly what a request returns before writing any code.
For any additional questions, our Support team is ready to help you!
Call: (509) 515-3338
Email: Support@HDPhotoHub.com
Or use the chat button in your account for live assistance.