# Introduction

The Swallow API is organized around [REST](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_State_Transfer). Our API has predictable resource-oriented URLs, accepts JSON request bodies, returns [JSON-encoded](http://www.json.org/) responses, and uses standard HTTP response codes, authentication, and verbs.

**API access**

Only paid accounts can access the Swallow API. If you are on a free tier then you will need to upgrade to access the ***client\_id\_key*** and ***client\_secret\_key*** needed to make API requests. 

You can find the access and authentication details on the [next page](https://swallow-1.gitbook.io/swallow/developer-api/authentication).

**What the API can do**

The Swallow API is an extension of the Swallow platform. You will still need to build, test and deploy pricing projects within the platform. The Swallow API, however, will help you:

* Run quotes through a pricing project
* Aid in building custom quote flows programatically
* Export changelog and other pricing process information in case of audit
* Export test results from a pricing project, though tests still need to be run within the platform
* Export single or batch quote data generated by a pricing project

**Open API documentation**

{% embed url="<https://api.llow.io/sw/openapi>" %}

The OpenAPI Specification (OAS) provides a consistent means to carry information through each stage of the API lifecycle. It is a specification language for HTTP APIs that defines structure and syntax in a way that is not wedded to the programming language the API is created in. API specifications are typically written in YAML or JSON, allowing for easy sharing and consumption of the specification.

OpenAPI documentation can be imported into free API interrogation tools like [https://www.postman.com](https://www.postman.com/) or [https://insomnia.rest](https://insomnia.rest/).