Web API: your complete guide for custom integrations

Data is almost always scattered across too many tools. Usually, if you want to see it all in one place, you're stuck building messy pipelines or paying for a warehouse you don't really want. SquaredUp is a window into all those tools. It lets you see what’s happening across your entire stack in real time without moving any of the data. Think of it as a universal translator that lets your tools talk to each other so you can stop the manual digging and just see the big picture.

That’s the “connect to anything” promise, and the core of it is the Web API.

The “connect to anything” plugin

The Web API is our way of making sure you can connect to almost any tool with a REST API. It's not just a backup for when a plugin is missing — it's the secret sauce behind some of our most advanced users. We already have about 100 pre-built integrations, but the Web API opens the door to hundreds of other tools, including your own custom internal systems that don’t have a plugin yet.

Almost every SquaredUp customer runs at least one Web API integration, with some power users building 30+ custom integrations, tracking everything from internal project metrics to the most niche tools in their stack.

It takes raw data from any REST API and makes it usable in a dashboard. When we say "anything," we mean it. We’ve seen people connect to everything from security tools to irrigation systems (seriously).

How SquaredUp turns any API into a live dashboard

Here is the Web API in action. It connects directly to your tools, fetches the raw data, and visualizes it instantly. You get live insights from across your entire stack in one place, without the hassle of moving or storing data.

To help you get started and make the most of this powerful capability, here are the best resources to get you moving:

Getting started

1. Getting started guide: Best for beginners. This is your ideal starting point if you're new to the plugin.
   • Walks through a step-by-step example.
   • Covers authentication basics and querying APIs for JSON data.
   • Shows how to build your first tiles to transform raw responses into tables.

2. The official KB: Best for technical deep-dives. This covers every configuration option in detail.

• Explains how to set up requests (endpoints, methods, headers, and payloads).
• Covers advanced data handling like query parameters, paging, and shaping.
• Includes troubleshooting tips for when API responses don't look right.

3. The video version Best for visual learners. Featuring Dave Clarke, our Senior PM.

• Demonstrates a real-world example using live flood level data.
• Shows advanced configuration using mustache syntax.
• Offers a sneak peek at importing objects for dynamic dashboard variables.

Once you've got the basics down, there's a lot more you can do.

Going deeper

1. User Stories: See how real engineering and IT teams use the Web API to consolidate data from niche tools. It’s a great way to find inspiration for your own custom dashboards.
   
   
2. Community Gists: A collection of real-world examples and code snippets from the SquaredUp community. Whether you need a specific layout or a clever way to handle a tricky API, you can find a head start here.
   
   
3. Pro Tips: This guide covers essential lessons for building integrations that scale.
   • Learn to handle "heavy" data from slow APIs or massive responses.
   • Master advanced techniques for transforming data for the best visual impact.

What’s new with Web API

We're always improving. Here's what's landed recently, and if any of these solve a problem you've been sitting with, now's a good time to give them a try.

• Paging support: You can now handle massive datasets without your dashboard slowing to a crawl.
  

• Debug like a pro: We’ve added request troubleshooting, so you can see raw request and response details directly in your tiles.
  

• Stronger auth and error handling: We’ve also overhauled authentication handling and error handling to make everything run smoother.
  

And if you've ever wished you could just build your own integration from scratch, now you can.

Build your own plugins with low-code

Why wait for us to build it? The Low Code Plugin (LCP) framework lets you build your own integrations in minutes. This is for when you want total control over how your integration works.

It’s built to be AI-ready, so you can use an AI assistant to help you go from an API doc to a working plugin in minutes. We’ve already used LCP to launch 16 new community integrations, including:

Fantasy Premier League: Track team performance and player stats

Spotify: Visualize your listening trends

RDAP: Visualize domain and network registration data

UniFi: Monitor network devices and performance

We’re big believers that sharing makes everything better — LCP lets you package up your custom integrations and share them so the whole community gets stronger.

• The LCP story: Our CEO, Richard Benwell, explains the vision behind the framework and the new integrations we just launched.
• Public GitHub repo: This is where the magic happens. You can view the code, suggest improvements, or start contributing your own plugins.

Want early access? If you want to start building with the LCP framework now, drop us a line to get on the early access list.

What’s next? AI and the future of visibility

We’re not stopping here. We’re currently getting ready for the public release of the LCP framework, which is going to open up a lot of doors for custom development.

We’re also working on AI-powered tooling, including specialized plugins for Claude and Codex, to make building these integrations even faster. There’s a lot of exciting stuff in the pipeline, and we can’t wait to see what you do with it.

To stay updated on all our latest developments and product releases, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter or join our community forum.

We can’t wait to see what you build next.