Which API is Right for You?
FBS offers two APIs: the Spark® API and our RESO Web API.
- The Spark API is our original, proprietary API. It is our most fully featured API, and it includes many features that are not implemented in our RESO Web API, including contacts, market stats, and more. The Spark API is capable of reading data from Flexmls as well as writing certain data back to Flexmls. We suggest using the Spark API if you only plan to work with data from a single MLS.
- Our RESO Web API, which is nested inside the Spark API, returns Flexmls data in standardized RESO Data Dictionary fields (1.6) for maximum compatibility across MLSs. We recommend using the RESO Web API if you are interested in working across multiple MLSs, to take advantage of this standardization.
Our RESO Web API is a set of endpoints nested within the Spark API. Both APIs share authentication and credentials, so developers can try each with a single API key and choose the one that best fits their needs.*
.Spark API vs. RESO Web API Comparison
|
Feature |
Spark API |
RESO Web API |
|---|---|---|
|
Standardization |
Offers a much greater degree of data standardization than RETS, with a large group of consistent Spark API fields standardized across MLSs. |
Uses RESO Data Dictionary fields to provide the highest possible degree of standardization and field name consistency between MLSs. Meant to support interoperability of code used across multiple MLSs. |
|
Writes back to Flexmls |
Supports writes to certain services based on role and user. |
No. Our RESO Web API is read-only. |
|
Services |
Provides many features that are not available via the RESO Web API, including but not limited to: |
Supports standard services, including but not limited to: |
|
Real-time requests |
Both the Spark API and our RESO Web API are fast enough to support live requests for data. Request exactly what you need and pass it directly through to a website or app. |
|
|
Replication |
Yes. Both APIs have separate replication endpoints and support for replication with pagination parameters. Note that replication is only allowed for API keys with a replication role. |
|
|
Standard role support |
Yes. Both APIs use standard roles to determine which data should be available, including the following roles: |
|
|
Encoded field names |
No. Both standard and custom fields are provided in human-readable format. |
Field names and values are provided in human-readable format whenever possible. Custom field names and certain field values are encoded to comply with RESO Web API transport specifications, and can be decoded to human-readable values via metadata translations. |
* The only time an API key can't be used with both APIs is if it is based on a custom template created by MLS or FBS staff. In those instances, the API key is limited to using the RESO Web API; the Spark API will be inaccessible.