The API Playground is a built-in tool in the Edlink Dashboard that lets you send real HTTP requests to the Edlink API without setting up an external client like Postman or curl. It is designed for developers who want to explore endpoints, validate integrations, and debug failed requests quickly, all from the same place you manage your Edlink account.
If you are already familiar with the Edlink API but tired of copying access tokens into another tool, the Playground handles most of that work for you. It selects the correct authorization for the API you are testing, builds the request path, and shows you the full response alongside useful diagnostics.
Where to Find It
The Playground is available to developer teams in the Edlink Dashboard. Open the Develop section in the sidebar and select Playground.
Requests are executed against the production Edlink API. Use a sandbox integration or test data when experimenting, and be mindful that you are working with live infrastructure.
What You Can Test
The Playground supports three Edlink APIs:
- Graph API — Read and write data on behalf of a district or university integration.
- Meta API — Manage dashboard resources such as applications, integrations, and sharing rules.
- User API — Make requests on behalf of an individual user.
For each request, you configure:
- API — Graph, Meta, or User.
- Version — The API version to call (defaults to
Version 2). - Integration — Required for Graph API requests. Select the integration whose access token should be used.
- Service Account — Required for Meta API requests. Select the service account whose token should be used.
- Endpoint — A curated list of endpoints, grouped by functionality (for example, people, classes, or integrations).
Some endpoints include path parameters (such as {person_id}). The Playground exposes fields for these values and assembles the final URL automatically.
If the selected endpoint uses POST, PUT, or PATCH, a JSON editor appears in the Request tab so you can supply a request body.
How Authorization Works
The Playground applies the same authorization rules as a normal API client. You do not need to paste tokens manually for most requests.
| API | Token Used |
|---|---|
| Graph API | The access token for the integration you select. |
| Meta API | The access token for the service account you select. |
| User API | User token support is planned for a future release. |
For background on how these tokens differ, see Request Authorization.
Sending a Request
- Open Playground from the Develop section.
- Choose the API, Version, and Endpoint you want to test.
- Select an Integration (Graph API) or Service Account (Meta API) if required.
- Fill in any path parameters the endpoint expects.
- If the endpoint accepts a body, switch to the Request tab and edit the JSON payload.
- Click Execute Request.
The Playground records how long the request took and displays the response when it completes.
Understanding the Response
After a request finishes, the Response tab shows:
- Statistics — HTTP method, status code, and request duration.
- Headers and cookies — The response metadata returned by the API.
- Body — The response payload, formatted for readability.
Two links are also provided when applicable:
- Documentation — Opens the reference page for the endpoint you selected.
- Request Log — Opens the full request record in the Edlink Dashboard (
https://ed.link/<team>/logs/<request_id>/details), using the request ID returned by the API.
The request ID is extracted from the $request property in the response body.
Error Analysis
When a request fails, the Playground can display an AI-driven error analysis alongside the raw response. This works similarly to the analysis shown on the Request Details page in the dashboard and is intended to help you understand what went wrong and what to try next.
Common reasons for errors include missing or invalid authorization, incorrect path parameters, and request bodies that do not match the endpoint schema. The analysis summarizes the failure in plain language, but you should still review the status code and response body for the full picture.