> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.fortifiedid.se/control/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.fortifiedid.se/control/key-components/api.md).

# API

The main building blocks used when Control exposes API-based integrations.

API components are used when Control is driven by HTTP requests instead of an interactive Forms flow. This is the system-to-system part of the product.

## Main components

* **Endpoint** defines the path that is exposed under the API module.
* **Auth** controls whether the endpoint requires authentication and which auth pipe is used.
* **Request handling** decides how the incoming request is processed, typically through `Pipes` or `DataProxy`.
* **Response handling** decides how the response is returned, including templates, content type, and status mapping when relevant.
* **Ping endpoint** provides a simple health-style endpoint for each configured API endpoint.

## When to use API components

These components are central when:

* another system needs to trigger IAM-related processing through HTTP
* Control should validate or enrich incoming machine requests
* a request should be proxied to another backend service
* a pipe-based response should be returned directly to the caller

## Related pages

* [API module](/control/configuration-reference/modules/api.md)
* [API properties](/control/configuration-reference/modules/api/properties.md)
* [External modules](/control/configuration-reference/modules/external-modules.md)