Skip to main content

Data Source

Follow the instructions below to create a new data flow that ingests data from a BigCommerce Graph API source in Nexla.
bcgraph_api.png

BigCommerce Graph API

Create a New Data Flow​

  1. To create a new data flow, navigate to the Integrate section, and click the New Data Flow button. Then, select the desired flow type from the list, and click the Create button.

  2. Select the BigCommerce Graph API connector tile from the list of available connectors. Then, select the credential that will be used to connect to the BigCommerce Graph API instance, and click Next; or, create a new BigCommerce Graph API credential for use in this flow.

  3. In Nexla, BigCommerce Graph API data sources can be created using pre-built endpoint templates, which expedite source setup for common BigCommerce Graph API endpoints. Each template is designed specifically for the corresponding BigCommerce Graph API endpoint, making source configuration easy and efficient.
    • To configure this source using a template, follow the instructions in Configure Using a Template.

    BigCommerce Graph API sources can also be configured manually, allowing you to ingest data from BigCommerce Graph API endpoints not included in the pre-built templates or apply further customizations to exactly suit your needs.
    • To configure this source manually, follow the instructions in Configure Manually.

Configure Using a Template​

Nexla provides pre-built templates that can be used to rapidly configure data sources to ingest data from common BigCommerce Graph API endpoints. Each template is designed specifically for the corresponding BigCommerce Graph API endpoint, making data source setup easy and efficient.

Endpoint Settings​

  • Select the endpoint from which this source will fetch data from the Endpoint pulldown menu. Available endpoint templates are listed in the expandable boxes below. Click on an endpoint to see more information about it and how to configure your data source for this endpoint.

    Perform GraphQL Query

    This endpoint executes a GraphQL query to fetch data from your BigCommerce store. Use this endpoint when you need to retrieve storefront data such as products, categories, customers, orders, or any other data available through the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API.

    • Enter your GraphQL query in the Query field. This should be a valid GraphQL query string that follows the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API schema. The query can request specific fields and data from your store, such as products, categories, customers, or other storefront entities. Example query: query FetchStoreInfo { site{ settings{ storeName url { vanityUrl } } } }

    • Enter the JSON path to the data in the response in the JSONPath to Data in Response field. This should be the JSON path that points to the relevant data within the GraphQL response. The default value is $.data, which points to the data object in the GraphQL response. Adjust this path based on your query structure and the data you want to extract.

    • Enter the JSON path to the pagination cursor in the response in the JSONPath to Pagination Cursor in Response field. This should be the JSON path that points to the cursor field used for pagination in GraphQL responses. The default value is $.data.pageInfo.endCursor, which is the standard cursor path for GraphQL pagination. Adjust this path if your query uses a different cursor field structure.

    • The endpoint uses POST requests to the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API endpoint (https://store-{store_hash}.mybigcommerce.com/graphql). The endpoint URL is automatically constructed based on your credential's store hash configuration.
    • The endpoint sends the GraphQL query in the request body as JSON with the format {"query": "{your_graphql_query}"}. The request body follows the GraphQL API specification.
    • The endpoint uses cursor-based pagination when applicable, automatically fetching additional pages as needed using the cursor mechanism. When a response includes a cursor field, Nexla automatically includes it in the subsequent query to fetch the next page of results.
    • The endpoint will return the data specified in your GraphQL query. The response data is extracted from the specified JSON path, with each record processed individually based on the query structure.

    This endpoint requires a valid GraphQL query string that follows the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API schema. The query must be properly formatted and include all required fields and fragments. The endpoint uses cursor-based pagination (iteration.type: graphql.cursor) through the cursor mechanism, where the cursor is located at the specified cursor path in the response. The endpoint requires token-based authentication with Bearer token, which is handled automatically by your credential configuration. The Authorization: Bearer {token} header is automatically included in requests. For detailed information about the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API, including available queries, schema, and pagination, see the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API documentation.

Endpoint Testing​

Once the selected endpoint template has been configured, Nexla can retrieve a sample of the data that will be fetched according to the current settings. This allows users to verify that the source is configured correctly before saving.

  • To test the current endpoint configuration, click the Test button to the right of the endpoint selection menu. Sample data will be fetched & displayed in the Endpoint Test Result panel on the right.

  • If the sample data is not as expected, review the selected endpoint and associated settings, and make any necessary adjustments. Then, click the Test button again, and check the sample data to ensure that the correct information is displayed.

Configure Manually​

BigCommerce Graph API data sources can be manually configured to ingest data from any valid BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API endpoint. Manual configuration provides maximum flexibility for accessing endpoints not covered by pre-built templates or when you need custom API configurations.

With manual configuration, you can also create more complex BigCommerce Graph API sources, such as sources that use chained GraphQL queries to fetch data from multiple endpoints or sources that require custom authentication headers or request parameters.

API Method​

  1. To manually configure this source, select the Advanced tab at the top of the configuration screen.

  2. Select the API method that will be used for calls to the BigCommerce Graph API from the Method pulldown menu. The BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API uses POST requests for all GraphQL queries. The most common methods are:

    • POST: For executing GraphQL queries (required for BigCommerce Graph API)
    • GET: Not typically used for GraphQL APIs

API Endpoint URL​

  1. Enter the URL of the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API endpoint from which this source will fetch data in the Set API URL field. This should be the complete URL including the protocol (https://). BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API endpoints follow the pattern https://store-{store_hash}.mybigcommerce.com/graphql where {store_hash} is your store hash.

Ensure the API endpoint URL is correct and accessible with your current credentials. The BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API endpoint URL is automatically constructed based on your credential's store hash configuration. You can test the endpoint using the Test button after configuring the URL. BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API requests require token-based authentication with Bearer token, and the Authorization: Bearer {token} header is automatically included in requests using your credential configuration. For detailed information about BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API endpoints and available queries, see the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API documentation.

Request Body​

Optional

  • If the API endpoint requires a specific request body format, configure how Nexla should format the request body. For BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API, the request body should contain the GraphQL query in JSON format.

    • For JSON format, the request body should be formatted as {"query": "{your_graphql_query}"} where {your_graphql_query} is your GraphQL query string. The query should follow the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API schema.

The request body for BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API must be properly formatted JSON containing the GraphQL query. The query string should be a valid GraphQL query that follows the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API schema. Ensure your GraphQL query includes all required fields and follows the correct syntax. For detailed information about GraphQL queries and the BigCommerce schema, see the BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API documentation.

Path to Data​

Optional

If only a subset of the data that will be returned by API endpoint is needed, you can designate the part(s) of the response that should be included in the Nexset(s) produced from this source by specifying the path to the relevant data within the response. This is particularly useful when API responses contain metadata, pagination information, or other data that you don't need for your analysis.

For example, when a GraphQL query returns data, the response will typically include a data object containing the query results, along with potential errors or extensions objects. By entering the path to the relevant data, you can configure Nexla to extract only the specific parts of the response you need.

Path to Data is essential when API responses have nested structures. Without specifying the correct path, Nexla might not be able to properly parse and organize your data into usable records.

  • To specify which data should be treated as relevant in responses from this source, enter the path to the relevant data in the Set Path to Data in Response field.

    • For responses in JSON format enter the JSON path that points to the object or array that should be treated as relevant data. JSON paths use dot notation (e.g., $.data.products.edges[*].node to access product nodes in a GraphQL response).

    • For responses in XML format, enter the XPath that points to the object/array containing relevant data. XPath uses slash notation (e.g., /response/data/item to access item elements within a data element).

    Path to Data Example:

    If the GraphQL response is in JSON format and includes a data object containing a products object with an edges array, the path to access individual product nodes would be entered as $.data.products.edges[*].node.

Autogenerate Path Suggestions​

Nexla can also autogenerate data path suggestions based on the response from the API endpoint. These suggested paths can be used as-is or modified to exactly suit your needs.

  • To use this feature, click the Test button next to the Set API URL field to fetch a sample response from the API endpoint. Suggested data paths generated based on the content & format of the response will be displayed in the Suggestions box below the Set Path to Data in Response field.

  • Click on a suggestion to automatically populate the Set Path to Data in Response field with the corresponding path. The populated path can be modified directly within the field if further customization is needed.

    PathSuggestions.png

Metadata​

If metadata is included in the response but is located outside of the defined path to relevant data, you can configure Nexla to include this data as common metadata in each record. This is useful when you want to preserve important contextual information that applies to all records but isn't part of the main data array.

For example, when a GraphQL query returns data, the response will typically include the query results along with metadata such as pagination information, query execution time, or request IDs. In this case, if you have specified the path to the relevant data but metadata of interest is located in a different part of the response, you can specify a path to this metadata to include it with each record in the generated Nexset(s).

Metadata paths are particularly useful for preserving API response context like request IDs, timestamps, or summary statistics that apply to all records in the response.

  • To specify the location of metadata that should be included with each record, enter the path to the relevant metadata in the Path to Metadata in Response field.

    • For responses in JSON format, enter the JSON path to the object or array that contains the metadata, and for responses in XML format, enter the XPath.

Request Headers​

Optional

  • If Nexla should include any additional request headers in API calls to this source, enter the headers & corresponding values as comma-separated pairs in the Request Headers field (e.g., header1:value1,header2:value2). Additional headers are often required for API versioning, content type specifications, or custom authentication requirements.

    You do not need to include any headers already present in the credentials. Common headers like Authorization, Content-Type, and Accept are typically handled automatically by Nexla based on your credential configuration. BigCommerce GraphQL Storefront API requests require token-based authentication with Bearer token, and the Authorization: Bearer {token} header is automatically included in requests using your credential configuration. The Content-Type: application/json header is typically set automatically for JSON request bodies.

Endpoint Testing​

After configuring all settings for the selected endpoint, Nexla can retrieve a sample of the data that will be fetched according to the current configuration. This allows users to verify that the source is configured correctly before saving.

  • To test the current endpoint configuration, click the Test button to the right of the endpoint selection menu. Sample data will be fetched & displayed in the Endpoint Test Result panel on the right.

  • If the sample data is not as expected, review the selected endpoint and associated settings, and make any necessary adjustments. Then, click the Test button again, and check the sample data to ensure that the correct information is displayed.

Save & Activate the Source​

  1. Once all of the relevant steps in the above sections have been completed, click the Create button in the upper right corner of the screen to save and create the new BigCommerce Graph API data source. Nexla will now begin ingesting data from the configured endpoint and will organize any data that it finds into one or more Nexsets.