The Nexar Glossary

Introduction

This article is meant to be used as a reference guide for varying terms that will be used throughout Nexar in the portal, website or other areas that are Nexar-related.

Glossary

• Access Token 
• Altium
• Altium 365
• Application
• Banana Cake Pop (BCP)
• Client Credentials
• Client ID
• Client Secret
• Design Scope
• File Service
• GraphQL
• Mutation
• Nexar API
• Nexar Legacy API (Octopart API v4)
• OAuth 2
• Octopart
• Organization
• Part Limit
• Portal
• Query
• Schema
• Scope
• Spectra
• Subscription
• Supply Plans
• Supply Scope
• Voyager

Access Token 

A string of encoded data that represents the authorization to access the API's data/resources. A token must be provided to query the API.

Altium

The company that owns the Nexar API. As well as the API, they provide PCB design software - Altium Designer, and a cloud platform - Altium 365.

Altium 365

A cloud platform that unites PCB design, MCAD, data management, and teamwork.

Application

An application provides authorization credentials to access the API. Scopes determine which parts of the API they can access. If they have the supply scope, an app will have a limit to how many parts it can access.

Banana Cake Pop (BCP)

A GraphQL IDE that we recommend to make operations with the API.

Client Credentials

Our recommended OAuth 2 grant type when using supply queries.  An application has a static client ID and client secret that are exchanged for a time-limited access token.

Client ID

Part of an application's credentials.

Client Secret

A secret only known to the application and the authorization server, which should be treated as a password.

Design Scope

If a user is a member of an Altium 365 workspace and an application has the design scope, then it can query for Altium 365 design data.

File Service

An HTTP endpoint to send files to so that they can then be accessed in Nexar operations.

GraphQL

A query language for APIs that Nexar uses. Find out more at https://graphql.org/

Mutation

A GraphQL operation that modifies server-side data.

Nexar API

A GraphQL API that provides access to Altium services such as Octopart's supply data and Altium 365's design data.

Nexar Legacy API (Octopart API v4)

A REST API that provides access to Octopart's supply data. New users can no longer sign up for this.

OAuth 2

The industry-standard protocol for authorization used by the Nexar API. 

Octopart

A site that provides accurate and comprehensive electronic part data, including offers and technical specifications.

Organization

A group of Nexar users that each share access to the organization's applications. A user can be a part of many organizations.

Part Limit

The maximum number of parts that the API can return for an application. Limits are reset monthly on the first of the month.

Portal

The Nexar portal allows users to manage their organization, supply plans and applications in one place. Queries can also be made from within the portal.

Query

A GraphQL operation that returns requested data. 

Schema

A representation of the API's data model used to build operations to achieve a task. 

Scope

An application's scope is the sides of the API that it can access.

Spectra

A product that delivers insights for improved decision-making about the current electronic component market.

Subscription

A GraphQL operation that is long-lasting can change its result over time. They can maintain an active connection to the API allowing the API to push updates to the subscription's result.

Supply Plans

Free and paid plans that give varying levels of access to the API and its features.

Supply Scope

If an application has the supply scope, then it can query for Octopart's supply data.

Voyager

A visual representation of our GraphQL schema.