# Custom API

Use **Custom API** when you want a workflow step to call an external HTTP endpoint from Fetch Hive and pass the response to later steps.

## Configuration

| Option                                                                                                               | Required | Description                                                                                     |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Name                                                                                                                 | No       | Label for the step in the workflow canvas.                                                      |
| API Method                                                                                                           | Yes      | HTTP method in **API Method**. Available values are `get` and `post`.                           |
| API URL                                                                                                              | Yes      | URL in **API URL**. This field supports workflow variables through **Insert Variable**.         |
| Headers                                                                                                              | No       | JSON string entered in **Headers**.                                                             |
| Body                                                                                                                 | No       | JSON string entered in **Body**. This field is only shown when **API Method** is `POST`.        |
| Retry Count                                                                                                          | No       | Number of retries in **Retry Count**.                                                           |
| When the step fails                                                                                                  | No       | Controls whether the workflow should **Terminate Workflow** or **Continue** if this step fails. |
| Add this step from the **Utilities** group in **Search steps...**. In the step picker, the label is **Call an API**. |          |                                                                                                 |

The settings sheet has separate fields for **API URL**, **Headers**, and **Body**. Each field can include values from **Inputs** or previous **Workflow Steps** with **Insert Variable**.

## Output

Click **Run** in the step header to test the request. Fetch Hive shows the response in **Output** after the run completes.

Use the variable picker in a later step to insert the exact response path available for that run. The base reference is:

```
{{STEP_IDENTIFIER.output}}
```

If you only need the full response payload, reference the base output directly:

```
{{step_2.output}}
```

If the response is a structured object, the variable picker shows the nested fields you can insert into later steps.

## Example

Add **Call an API** from the **Utilities** group in **Search steps...**.

Set **Name** to something like `Fetch customer profile`.

Choose **GET** or **POST** in **API Method**.

Enter the endpoint in **API URL**. If the endpoint needs data from earlier steps, click **Insert Variable** and add values such as `{{step_1.output.customer_id}}`.

If the request needs authentication or content headers, add them in **Headers** as JSON. If you use **POST**, add the request payload in **Body**.

Adjust **Retry Count** and choose what should happen in **When the step fails**.

Click **Run** and review the API response in **Output** before you wire that output into later steps.

## Notes

* The step picker label is **Call an API**, even though this page and file use **Custom API**.
* The deployment read-only view shows the URL, method, retry count, and failure behavior. It does not show the full headers or request body summary there.
* Use valid JSON in **Headers** and **Body** if your downstream API expects JSON payloads.

See also: [Creating and Editing](/workflows/creating-and-editing.md), [Testing and Iteration](/workflows/testing-and-iteration.md), and [Error Handling](/workflows/error-handling.md)


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

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Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.fetchhive.com/workflows/workflow-steps/utility/custom-api.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.