Simplification of our API Platform

As part of our continuous efforts to simplify and improve our API integrations we’ve made some changes to how you access resources within the Auto Trader Connect Platform which are highlighted below.

Please ensure these changes have been completed before 31st March 2024 to prevent any disruption to your service.

Reminder of the changes

1. Request Path

We’re simplifying the request path for all resources on the Auto Trader Connect API platform.

Example:

Current: https://api.autotrader.co.uk/service/stock-management/{resource name} 

New: https://api.autotrader.co.uk/{resource name}

2. Removal of camel Case

We’re also changing the structure of specific resources with 2 words, removing the capital letters (camel Case) and replacing it with a dash (kebab-case).

Example:

Current: /vehicleMetrics

New: /vehicle-metrics

3. Update to API Documentation

We’ve updated the API documentation to reflect the above changes. We’ve also taken steps to simplify the structure, ensuring the names reflect the purpose of each resource and what you’re able to do with it.

Change overview:

The above change will impact the following resources pictured below:

Why are we making the change?

Within Auto Trader’s old API architecture, all of the public API’s were served through a centralised single service (Stock Management API). This meant that partners utilising all the different API’s, would have been competing for capacity within that single Stock Management service.

This meant that a single partner heavily using a more intensive API (i.e. /images) can impact the service performance for another partner using a much more lightweight faster one (i.e. /valuations).

As we extend our platform, our goal is to make integrating as simple as possible. This restructure provides access to our data through a platform of smaller more defined APIs, making it more manageable to stay up to date with the APIs that you care about. We’ll be able to share deeper insights on how customers engage with specific APIs and it should be easier to understand how to combine specific APIs when designing new solutions.

 It also reduces the risk of any potential availability issues, where any partner heavily utilising a API (i.e. images) cannot impact availability of another API (i.e. valuations).

When is the change happening?

Existing integrations using the current request paths will continue to be supported until 31st March 2024.

However, updates to existing services will only be supported in the new documentation. Any new services will be designed using the new path structure and could create compatibility issues if this change is not integrated.

We originally communicated the information about these changes earlier in the year and our technical account management team have been supporting partners with this switchover. If you require assistance or have any concerns about implementing the changes, please do not hesitate to contact us on:  technicalaccountmanagement@autotrader.co.uk