API Access Overview

The Launchpad API allows you to access your data and functionality programmatically. Whether you're building custom integrations, syncing with other systems, or automating workflows, the API provides secure access to your Launchpad account.

What is an API?

An API (Application Programming Interface) is a way for software systems to communicate with each other:

Read data — retrieve bookings, customers, products from Launchpad
Write data — create bookings, update customer records
Automate tasks — trigger actions without using the interface
Integrate systems — connect Launchpad to custom software

Who is the API for?

The Launchpad API is useful if you:

Have a developer who can build custom integrations
Use business software that isn't in our integration library
Want to display Launchpad data on your own website
Need to automate complex workflows
Are building custom booking solutions

If you're not technical, you might prefer using our pre-built integrations or Zapier for automation.

What you can do with the API

Bookings

Retrieve booking details and history
Create new bookings programmatically
Update booking status and notes
Cancel or modify bookings

Customers

Access customer records
Create and update customer information
Search and filter customers
View customer booking history

Products

List available products
Retrieve product details and pricing
Check availability
Access product categories

Availability

Check real-time availability
Block or release dates
Retrieve calendar information

Payments (read-only)

View payment records
Check payment status
Access transaction history

Getting started

Step 1: Enable API access

Go to Settings from the main menu
Click API or Developer Settings
Enable API Access for your account

Step 2: Generate an API key

In API settings, click Generate New Key
Give your key a descriptive name
Choose appropriate permissions
Copy and securely store your key

See Generating API Keys for detailed instructions.

Step 3: Test your connection

Use a tool like curl or Postman to test:

GET https://api.launchpad.net.au/v1/products
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

A successful response confirms your connection is working.

API basics

Base URL

All API requests use:

https://api.launchpad.net.au/v1/

Authentication

Every request must include your API key:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Response format

Responses are returned in JSON format:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "id": "prod_123",
    "name": "Sunset Kayak Tour",
    "price": 150.00
  }
}

Error handling

Errors include a code and message:

{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "Product not found"
  }
}

Common endpoints

Products

Endpoint	Description
`GET /products`	List all products
`GET /products/{id}`	Get product details
`GET /products/{id}/availability`	Check availability

Bookings

Endpoint	Description
`GET /bookings`	List bookings
`GET /bookings/{id}`	Get booking details
`POST /bookings`	Create a booking
`PATCH /bookings/{id}`	Update a booking

Customers

Endpoint	Description
`GET /customers`	List customers
`GET /customers/{id}`	Get customer details
`POST /customers`	Create a customer
`PATCH /customers/{id}`	Update a customer

Rate limits

To ensure service quality:

Standard limit — 100 requests per minute
Burst limit — 10 requests per second
Daily limit — varies by plan

Exceeding limits returns a 429 (Too Many Requests) response.

Security best practices

Protect your API key

Never share keys publicly
Don't commit keys to version control
Use environment variables in code
Rotate keys periodically

Use appropriate permissions

Generate keys with minimum required access
Create separate keys for different purposes
Revoke unused keys

Secure your integration

Use HTTPS for all requests
Validate response data
Handle errors gracefully
Log API activity for monitoring

Working with a developer

If you're hiring someone to build integrations:

Provide API access — generate a key with appropriate permissions
Share documentation — point them to our API docs
Set clear requirements — define what you need built
Test thoroughly — verify the integration works correctly
Manage access — revoke developer keys when work is complete

API documentation

Full API documentation is available at:

https://api.launchpad.net.au/docs

The documentation includes:

Complete endpoint reference
Request and response examples
Authentication details
Code samples in multiple languages

Webhooks vs API

Understanding the difference:

API (you request data)

You call the API when you need information
Good for on-demand queries
Pull-based: you initiate the request

Webhooks (we send data to you)

Launchpad notifies you when events happen
Good for real-time reactions
Push-based: we initiate the notification

See Webhook Configuration to set up webhooks.

When to use what

Scenario	Solution
Display products on your website	API
Get notified of new bookings	Webhooks
Sync customer data nightly	API
Trigger SMS on booking	Webhooks + your SMS provider
Build a custom dashboard	API
Connect non-supported software	API or Zapier

Troubleshooting

Authentication errors

Check your API key is correct
Verify the key hasn't been revoked
Ensure you're using the Bearer format
Check the key has required permissions

Rate limiting

Reduce request frequency
Implement caching where possible
Contact support about limit increases

Data not updating

Check you're calling the right endpoint
Verify your request format is correct
Ensure you have write permissions
Review the response for error messages

The API opens up endless possibilities for custom integrations — whether you're building something unique or connecting systems that don't have pre-built integrations.