An introduction to the Legislate API for contracts

What is an API?

An API, also known as an Application Programming Interface, provides a specific service on demand. An API acts like a waiter ready to serve items on a menu (defined by the server) when it is called by a client. The orders made by the client to the API are made by REST requests.

What are the benefits of using APIs?

APIs allow you to obtain functionality without needing to build it. In practice, APIs are popular because they allow software platforms to concentrate their development efforts on core features whilst augmenting their offering with functionality provided by APIs.

What are the challenges for contract APIs?

A contract is a set of legally binding terms between 2 or more parties. The terms of a contract are interdependent and rules determine how they can or can’t be combined. Contracts can be tailored flexibly depending on a business’ goals and the context of a contract which means that offering a standardised contract as an API is difficult if you don’t have a flexible way of modelling contracts.

How has Legislate overcome the challenges of API contracts?

APIs work effectively when the parameters are standardised and generalisable. In order to generalise and standardise parameters. Legislate has adopted knowledge graph technology to map the required parameters of a contract and how they connect to form valid contracts.

How to get access to the Legislate API for contracts?

In order to get access to the Legislate API, you'll need to register your interest with us via the chat or email. We'll provide more details about the terms of the API and discuss how you intend to implement it. We'll then give you a client and secret token so that you can generate your own API keys.