Zabbix API calls through Postman

Zabbix API calls can be used through the graphical user interface (GUI), no need to jump to scripting. An application to perform API calls is called Postman.

Benefits:

• Available on Windows, Linux, or MAC
• Save/synchronize your collection with Google account
• Can copy and paste examples from the official documentation page

Let’s go to basic steps on how to perform API calls:

1st step – Grab API method user.login and use a dedicated username and password to obtain and session token:

{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "user.login",
    "params": {
        "user": "api",
        "password": "zabbix"
    },
    "id": 1
}

This is how it looks in Postman:

NOTE
We recommend using a dedicated user for API calls. For example, a user called “api”. Make sure the user type has been chosen as “Zabbix Super Admin” so through this user we can access any type of information.

2nd step – Use API method trigger.get to list all triggers in the problem state:

{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "trigger.get",
    "params": {
        "output": [
            "triggerid",
            "description",
            "priority"
        ],
        "filter": {
            "value": 1
        },
        "sortfield": "priority",
        "sortorder": "DESC"
    },
    "auth": "<session key>",
    "id": 1
}

Replace “<session key>” inside the API snippet to make it work. Then click “Send” button. It will list all triggers in the problem state on the right side:

Postman conveniences – Environments

Environments are “a must” if you:

• Have a separate test, development, and production Zabbix instance
• Plan to migrate Zabbix to next version (4.0 to 5.0) so it’s better to test all API calls beforehand

On the top right corner, there is a button Manage Environments. Let’s click it.

Now Create an environment:

Each environment must consist of url and auth key:

Now we have one definition prod. Can close window with [X]:

In order to work with your new environment, select a newly created profile prod. It’s required to substitute Zabbix API endpoint with {{url}} and plot {{auth}} to serve as a dynamic authorization key:

NOTE
Every time we notice an API procedure does not work anymore, all we need to do is to enter Manage environments section and install a new session tokken..

Topic in video format:
https://youtu.be/B14tsDUasG8?t=2513

About Aigars Kadiķis

Technical Support Engineer at Zabbix

View all posts by Aigars Kadiķis