Tableau Blueprint Help

Tableau supports a robust extensibility framework for deep and complex enterprise integrations and embedded analytics solutions. Extensibility spans from administrative task automation to rich visualization integration to enterprise portal applications, bringing any data from any source into a Tableau supported format and delivering system automation with a growing set of standards-based APIs. For more information, see IT Tools and Tableau Developer Program.

REST API

With the Tableau REST API you can create, read, update, delete and manage Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud entities programmatically, via HTTP. The API gives you simple access to the functionality behind the data sources, projects, workbooks, site users, and sites on a Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud. You can use this access to create your own custom applications or to script interactions with Tableau resources.

Hyper API

Tableau Server provides direct support and connection to a large number of data sources; however, there are times when you may want to pre-process or access and assemble data from other applications before working with it in Tableau. The Tableau Hyper API contains a set of functions you can use to automate your interactions with Tableau extract (.hyper) files for Tableau Server 10.5 and later and Tableau Cloud, including the following:

• Create extract files for data sources not currently supported by Tableau.
• Automate custom extract, transform, and load (ETL) processes (for example, implement rolling window updates or custom incremental updates).
• Retrieve data from an extract file.

In addition to supporting all features of the previous Extract API 2.0 for creating extract files, the Hyper API provides access to new features. You can create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) data in .hyper files while leveraging the full speed of Hyper for creating and updating extract files. You can load data directly from CSV files without having to write special code. With the power of SQL to interact with data in .hyper files, the API provides methods for executing arbitrary SQL commands on .hyper files.

Web Data Connector

You can use the Tableau Web Data Connector SDK to build connectors to additional data sources with Javascript and HTML in Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud. Web data connectors (WDCs) are web pages that provide a data connection that is accessible over HTTP for data sources that don't already have a connector in Tableau. WDCs allow users to connect to almost any data that is accessible over the web and to create extracts for their workbooks. Data sources for a WDC can include internal web services, JSON data, REST APIs, and other sources that are available over HTTP or HTTPS. Users can create their own WDC or use connectors that were created by others. For more information, visit How to use a web data connector on Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud. For more information on community connectors, see Web Data Connector Forum.

JavaScript API

With Tableau’s JavaScript API, you can fully integrate Tableau visualizations into your own web applications. The API uses an event-based architecture, providing you with flexibility for round-trip control of users’ actions in Tableau visualizations and control of your users’ interactions. For example, your enterprise may have a web portal that bridges several lines of business applications as well as dashboards. To make it easier for users, you may prefer to have a consistent UI across all applications. With the JavaScript API, you can create buttons and other controls in your preferred style that control elements of a Tableau dashboard.

Extensions API

With Tableau’s Extensions API, developers can create dashboard extensions that enable customers to integrate and interact with data from other applications directly from a Tableau dashboard, such as write-back functionality, custom interactive interfaces, and third-party product integration. Dashboard extensions run in custom dashboard zones and can interact with the rest of the dashboard using the Tableau Extensions API. Available third-party extensions have been published in the Tableau Exchange. To publish to Tableau Server, extensions will need to be allowlisted (Windows | Linux). Tableau Server Administrators can enable on a per-server or per-site basis based on code review and security assessment. For Tableau Cloud, visit Manage Dashboard Extensions in Tableau Cloud.

Document API

The Document API provides a supported path for modifying Tableau workbook and data source XML. Using Python, you can create a template workbook in Tableau and easily deploy it across multiple servers, update data sources and connections, and evaluate fields within a data source.

TSM API

Tableau Server includes a set of administrative services called Tableau Services Manager (TSM). This set of documentation describes the prerelease TSM API (0.5 alpha), which you can use to perform a wide range of tasks, including start and stop Tableau Server, view the status of services and nodes, backup and restore Tableau Server, make configuration and topology changes, change port assignments for services, and create log file archives.

Metadata API

Tables, data sources, workbooks, and sheets in Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud are available to query via the Tableau Metadata API. The API is fast and flexible and includes common attributes like name, hostname, and URI, as well as type specific information like field data types, and certification. The API will also allow you to query for connected items (e.g. tables and columns used by a specific data source). In addition to the Metadata API, metadata methods are available in the Tableau REST API, which can be found in Metadata Methods topic.

Mobile App Bootstrap

Develop custom mobile apps with the Mobile App Bootstrap (MAB). The MAB is a sample open-source mobile app that demonstrates how to connect and stay signed in to Tableau Servers, embed Tableau content, and utilize the Tableau JavaScript API to embed the Tableau content you want to have right at your fingertips. For more information, visit Mobile App Bootstrap – React Native, Mobile App Bootstrap – Cordova or Mobile App Bootstrap – Objective-C.

Webhooks API

Webhooks provide a common way to trigger automated workflows that respond to events in your Tableau deployment. You can start building workflows with Tableau Server 2019.4 and later and Tableau Cloud. For more information, visit the Webhooks documentation and samples.