Frequently asked questions

Get help with common queries

 

Getting Started*

Can you give me an API key?*

The Xero API does not support basic API Key authentication. Our API uses OAuth 2.0 which means you need to register your app to get a client id and client secret which you use to access the API.

How can I try out the API?*

The quickest way to try out the API is to set up your demo company and dive into the API Previewer. Most of the API functionality is supported and you can quickly start playing with real calls against demo data.

How do I connect Xero to my Salesforce/SQL Database/thing you have no SDK for?*

We've got SDKs to cover the most used technologies in the community but we'll never cater for everyone. If we don't support your particular tech then your best bet is to look for help on our developer forums. You can also use our OpenAPI spec to generate your own SDK

How do I get a Xero account to develop/test against?*

The first step is to sign up for a free Xero account. Once you have done that, you have two options as to how you can begin development without incurring any cost:

  • Use the demo company (recommended)

  • Start a trial or paid Xero organisation subscription

Check out our Development Accounts guide for more details.

How do I get support for building my integration?*

Hopefully everything you need to know is on developer.xero.com but if you're still stuck then you can reach out to other developers on community or stack overflow. If you're really stuck you can even hire Xero certified developer to help you out.

What Authentication do you support?*

We currently support OAuth 1.0a and OAuth 2.0. However, OAuth 1.0a is in the process of being deprecated and OAuth 2.0 is required for all new integrations.

What are some best practices for building an integration?*

For some of the basics check out our Integration Best Practices guide. After that, browse through the rest of our how-to guides to find more guidance specific to your integration.

What kind of App should I build?*

That's really up to you! Get connected with accountants and business owners to find out how you can help them be successful. There are plenty of resources like our business forums, developer forums and UserVoice page to get you started with some ideas.