Adalo API Integrations

Custom actions vs external collections

A custom action is a single request tied to a user action. It is ideal for writes and one-shot operations, and the response is available to the actions that follow it.

An external collection is a persistent data source. Adalo calls your list endpoint to fill lists, your detail endpoint for single records, and expects create, update and delete endpoints if users will change data.

The response shape Adalo expects

For a list endpoint, return a flat JSON array of objects with consistent keys. Adalo infers properties from the first object, so optional properties should be present with a null value rather than omitted.

• Avoid envelopes such as { "data": [...] } unless you configure the path Adalo should read.
• Flatten nested objects into top-level keys.
• Keep types stable, a property that is a number in one record and a string in another causes problems.
• Return an accurate total so pagination and counts behave.

Authentication

Most APIs authenticate with a header, a bearer token or an API key. Set it on the collection so every request carries it. Keys placed in query strings end up in logs and are easier to leak.

A shortcut for the whole layer

If you do not have an API yet, External Collections gives you a hosted database whose endpoints already return Adalo-compatible responses, including pagination and exact counts.

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