Get Access Token

Access tokens are similar to session tokens and allow entering of credentials once per session. Once authenticated, a user is provided with an access token that is submitted with every secure request (those containing '/secure/' in the URL path, e.g. submitting a donation) instead of always submitting a username and password. Access tokens are short-lived and can expire so users need to re-GET a token at the start of each session or if their current access token expires. Note that access token timeouts are individually set for each API user as a database configuration and by default are set to 10 hours.

NOTE: Credentials used to receive an access token are the same credentials used when signing up for an API Key. That is, the email and password associated with the new or existing GlobalGiving account used to request an API Key.

HTTP Method:

GET

Content Type:

xml, json

Accept Type:

xml, json

Path:

https://api.globalgiving.org/api/userservice/tokens

Data Parameters:

email - user's email used to sign up for the GlobalGiving account and API key, required

password - user's password used to sign up for the GlobalGiving account and API key, required

api_key - api_key for the api user which is provided by GlobalGiving, required

HTTP GET XML Request using cURL:

                  curl -H "Accept: application/xml" -H "Content-Type: application/xml" -d "<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8' standalone='yes'?>
                  <auth_request>
                     <user>
                        <email>John_Doe@hotmail.com</email>
                        <password>somepassword</password>
                     </user>
                     <api_key>YOUR_API_KEY</api_key>
                  </auth_request>" -X POST https://api.globalgiving.org/api/userservice/tokens

HTTP GET JSON Request using cURL:

                           
                  curl -H "Accept: application/xml" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d "{'auth_request':{'user':{'email':'John_Doe@hotmail.com','password':'somepassword'}, 'api_key':'YOUR_API_KEY'}}" -X POST https://api.globalgiving.org/api/userservice/tokens

XML Response:

                  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
                  <auth_response>
                      <access_token>sqbkktg3s00vzz7gg3s198rzb9g3s2me2u2ng3s3</access_token>
                  </auth_response>

JSON Response:

                  {"auth_response":{"access_token":"njd9wng4d0ycwnn3g4d1jm30yig4d27iom5lg4d3"}}

Get Access Token Request Structure

auth_request
user
email string
password string
api_key string

Element Definitions for Get Access Token Request

Element Mandatory Description
email required Api user's email used to set up a GlobalGiving account and receive an API Key.
password required Api user's password used to set up a GlobalGiving account and receive an API Key.
api_key required Key for the api user which is provided by GlobalGiving.

Get Access Token Response Structure

auth_response
access_token string

Element Definitions for Get Access Token Response

Element Mandatory Description
acess_token required Resulting access token to use for further requests.