Development FAQ
- Q1: What data can you access and store within MinistryPlatform when using your API?
- You can access all database tables and fields through our API. This includes custom tables and fields unique to each organization.
- Q2: What programming languages can I use with the MinistryPlatform API?
- Any programming language that can utilize REST. We know of developers that have used C#/.NET and PHP, but any modern language should be able to consume our API data.
- Q3: Can our developers connect directly to the MinistryPlatform Database?
- Technically speaking, each self-hosted church has direct database access since MinistryPlatform is installed on a server your organization owns and maintains. However, we strongly discourage anyone from this practice. Using the API gives you access to the identical scope of data. More importantly, it also handles a layer of security and audit-logging that you would otherwise have to write yourselves.
- Q4: What documentation or examples are available for your API?
- See Application Development and Community Resources.
- Q5: Are there any classes or tutorials available for consuming your API?
- There are no classes or tutorials available. However, we do offer various types of Professional Services to developers and churches. See Application Development for details. Also, we frequently have a development track or several development sessions as part of our annual MinistryPlatform User Group (MPUG) conference. See our MPUG website for sessions regarding development.
- Q6: How do I set up a Sandbox system?
- For instructions on how to set up a sandbox system, see Sandboxes. Note: Beyond this documentation, setup, maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting for sandbox systems are not covered by ACS Technologies Support.