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Create a web data connector when you want to connect to a web data source from Tableau. A web data connector is a packaged connector containing web elements. It connects to web data (for example, by means of a REST API), converts the data to a JSON format, and passes the data to Tableau.
This section guides you through the process of setting up your development environment and building a sample web data connector in the simulator.
To best understand what a web data connector is, we recommend that you build a sample connector using a boilerplate included in the Taco Toolkit. To build a sample connector, perform the following tasks.
Install the TACO Toolkit by opening your terminal and typing the following command:
npm install -g @tableau/taco-toolkit
This command installs the toolkit globally. The Taco Toolkit includes:
Verify the install by typing the following:
taco
This command returns the CLI version.
Create a parent directory for your connectors and navigate to that directory.
Enter the following command to create the connector:
taco create my-first-connector --boilerplate earthquake-data
This creates a directory with the earthquake data boilerplate code, which is included with the toolkit.
cd my-first-connector
Build the connector by entering the following command:
taco build
This command clears any previous or existing build caches, then installs the dependencies, then builds the frontend code and the backend code (handlers), then copies the connector.json file (the configuration file).
taco pack
This creates the .taco file
Type the following command to run the connector:
taco run Desktop
This starts Tableau Desktop with the appropriate command-line parameters pointing it to your newly created connector.
Launch the connector in Tableau Desktop. You’ll see a link to your connector in Tableau’s list of connectors, my-first-connector by vendor-name. To see your dialog, click the link.
Tableau loads your default system browser to show the connector user interface (UI). This is the interactive phase.
You can customize your connector with your own information. Or, if you’re ready to make your own connector, you can use one the connector boilerplates to make your own.