Welcome! This forum has a treasure trove of great info – Scouters helping Scouters! Just a heads up, though - all content, information, and opinions shared on this forum are those of the author, not the BSA.
Not sure where this topic should go to but is there a Scoutbook API that can be used if I’m wanting to create a personal application? For more context the app I’m wanting to build would use the SSO provided to log into Scoutbook and have pack calendar available including your (family) members who are part of the pack.
Yes, I know I can get this information from Scoutbook but the I’m looking to build something more robust that is personal that isn’t being offered, including a simpler and better UX.
Generally speaking, the answer is no, at least as far as I’ve gleaned from prior posting by SUAC. The BSA restricts the access to “3rd-party developers”, which I presume translates as “3rd-party developers who establish some sort of contractual relationship with the BSA regarding access to the APIs”. I’m not even sure who the gatekeeper on establishing such a relationship would be, but presumably someone at the national organization. Maybe your scout exec could connect you to the right folks at nationals if you’re interested in pursuing it further.
I was assuming that the OP was using it as shorthand for “an API into the back-end database”. I guess the current upload process isn’t really via an API-like system, so the non-existence makes more sense.
Thank you for your response. Yes, API into backend since it will be needed for authentication for getting pack calendar and etc.
Would you know who at the national level I could speak to? Looking at the Contact page there isn’t much information there except their PO Box and generic e-mail address. Is there someone more on the technical side that can be reached that you know of?
After responding to you I wanted to do a quick search on APIs and if anyone else has asked. I think the most recent in-depth one that has built something similar to mine is this thread
Again, thank you for your serious response into my inquiry. It’s too bad Scouts isn’t allowing an open API. I’ll probably leave it at that.
My prior inquiries in this vein didn’t bear much fruit. Sounds like there’s little appetite or budget to pursue what you (and I) are asking for. That’s a shame, as you point out. Community-driven or open source software delivery models have tremendous potential.
Couldn’t agree more! Community-drive or open source could enhance the product and make it much more customizable to each pack. Not to mention the ability to improve on features and enhance the product with custom plug-ins that can be added to some sort of library where other packs can use as long as they see value in it.
And of course, reworking/customizing the UI (as I think you have mentioned in your own post that the UI is clunky and I don’t disagree at all).
