https://developer.axis.com/blog/ Axis developer documentation Blog 2025-11-12T00:00:00.000Z https://github.com/jpmonette/feed Axis developer documentation Blog https://developer.axis.com/img/favicon.ico <![CDATA[HTTP request examples using curl]]> https://developer.axis.com/blog/2025/11/12/http-requests-examples-using-curl/ 2025-11-12T00:00:00.000Z Why are we using curl in our API documentation?

When documenting HTTP APIs, we sometimes use HTTP semantics - currently defined in RFC 9110. It's precise, it's standardized, and it's... well, let's be honest, it can be a bit intimidating if you're new to HTTP APIs.

Here's a typical example of how we describe a request in VAPIX® using HTTP semantics:

POST /axis-cgi/basicdeviceinfo.cgi
Host: <servername>
Content-Type: application/json

{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "method": "getAllProperties"
}

For experienced developers, this is crystal clear. But for someone just getting started, or someone who primarily works in a specific programming language, there's a gap between seeing this specification and actually making the request work. You know what needs to be sent, but how do you actually send it?

There's also the matter of authentication. Since authentication is often ubiquitous across a collection of endpoints, we usually don't include authentication headers in every single example. This makes the examples less copy-paste friendly, as you need to figure out and remember to add the authentication part yourself.

Enter curl​

This is where curl comes in. If you've worked with HTTP APIs for any length of time, you've probably encountered curl. It's the Swiss Army knife of HTTP requests - a command-line tool that's been around since 1996 and is available on virtually every platform imaginable.

The beauty of curl is its immediacy. You can copy a curl command, paste it into your terminal, replace some placeholders, run the command, and see results right away. No need to set up a project, configure dependencies, or write boilerplate code. It's the fastest path from "I want to try this" to "I see the response".

In our documentation, HTTP request examples are from now on displayed using a tabbed interface with two options. The first tab shows the request using curl, and the second shows the request using HTTP semantics.

curl --request POST \
  --anyauth \
  --user "<username>:<password>" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  "http://<servername>/axis-cgi/basicdeviceinfo.cgi" \
  --data '{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "method": "getAllProperties"
}'

Suddenly, it's not just a specification - it's something you can actually run and experiment with.

Please note that in the curl example, the --anyauth flag automatically selects the most appropriate authentication method supported by the device, simplifying the process of making authenticated requests.

More than just documentation​

There's another benefit we haven't mentioned yet: curl commands are easily convertible to other languages and tools. Many developers use curl as a starting point, then translate those commands into Python requests, JavaScript fetch calls, or whatever their preferred language happens to be. Some tools even automate this conversion.

The best of both worlds​

We're not abandoning HTTP semantics - they remain the authoritative specification of how our APIs work. But by complementing them with curl examples, we're making our documentation more accessible and immediately useful.

Our goal has always been to help you build great solutions with Axis products. Sometimes that means providing precise technical specifications. And sometimes it means giving you something you can copy, paste, and run in the next five seconds. Why not both?

]]> Mattias Kindborg https://github.com/mattias-kindborg-at-work <![CDATA[XML syntax validation]]> https://developer.axis.com/blog/2025/08/28/xml-syntax-validation/ 2025-08-28T00:00:00.000Z Why did we continue with validating XML code blocks for syntax validity?

The importance of well-formed XML​

As a continuation of JSON syntax validation, we've now extended our validation efforts to XML code blocks. I'm not saying that writing well-formed XML is harder, it's just a different kind of hard.

For transparency, we're currently validating that the XML examples are syntactically correct and well-formed. This means you won't run into missing closing tags, malformed attributes, or namespace issues, but it's still possible for an example to have incorrect element names or values. Validating the semantics of XML examples against specific schemas is a much bigger challenge, but catching syntax errors is a solid foundation that'll save you from those frustrating moments when nothing works and you can't figure out why.

As with the JSON post, let's play a quick game of Spot the error. Below are three real XML examples from our documentation (all of which have now been fixed, alongside another 160+ similar issues we discovered). See if you can find the syntax mistake in each one. Expand the solution to check your answer!

Spot the error​

Example 1​

<axtpc:RemoveThirdPartyCredentialByEmail>
    <axtpc:Email>kalle.karlsson@example.com</axtpc:Email>
    <axtpc:ProviderActions type="" Name="" Value="" />
    <axtpc:ProviderName>HIDMobileAccess</axtpc:ProviderName>
</axtpc:RemoveThirdPartyCredetialByEmail>
Solution for example 1

A classic typo that'll get you every time! The closing tag has a sneaky misspelling: </axtpc:RemoveThirdPartyCredetialByEmail> instead of </axtpc:RemoveThirdPartyCredentialByEmail>. Notice the missing "n" in "Credential"?

<axtpc:RemoveThirdPartyCredentialByEmail>
    <axtpc:Email>kalle.karlsson@example.com</axtpc:Email>
    <axtpc:ProviderActions type="" Name="" Value="" />
    <axtpc:ProviderName>HIDMobileAccess</axtpc:ProviderName>
</axtpc:RemoveThirdPartyCredetialByEmail>

Example 2​

<tns1:Device aev:NiceName="Device">
    <tnsaxis:HardwareFailure aev:NiceName="Hardware failure">
        <RadarFailure wstop:topic="true" aev:NiceName="Radar data failure">
            <aev:MessageInstance aev:isProperty="true">
                <aev:SourceInstance>
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Channel Identifier"
                        Type="xsd:int"
                        Name="channel">
                </aev:SourceInstance>
                <aev:DataInstance>
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Reason Code"
                        Type="xsd:int"
                        Name="reason" />
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Reason Description"
                        Type="xsd:string"
                        Name="reasonstr" />
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Radar Data Disruption"
                        Type="xsd:boolean"
                        Name="disruption"
                        isPropertyState="true" />
                </aev:DataInstance>
            </aev:MessageInstance>
        </RadarFailure>
    </tnsaxis:HardwareFailure>
</tns1:Device>
Solution for example 2

This one's particularly tricky because it's buried deep in a complex XML structure. The <aev:SimpleItemInstance> tag is missing its closing tag.

<tns1:Device aev:NiceName="Device">
    <tnsaxis:HardwareFailure aev:NiceName="Hardware failure">
        <RadarFailure wstop:topic="true" aev:NiceName="Radar data failure">
            <aev:MessageInstance aev:isProperty="true">
                <aev:SourceInstance>
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Channel Identifier"
                        Type="xsd:int"
                        Name="channel">
                </aev:SourceInstance>
                <aev:DataInstance>
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Reason Code"
                        Type="xsd:int"
                        Name="reason" />
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Reason Description"
                        Type="xsd:string"
                        Name="reasonstr" />
                    <aev:SimpleItemInstance
                        aev:NiceName="Radar Data Disruption"
                        Type="xsd:boolean"
                        Name="disruption"
                        isPropertyState="true" />
                </aev:DataInstance>
            </aev:MessageInstance>
        </RadarFailure>
    </tnsaxis:HardwareFailure>
</tns1:Device>

Example 3​

<axtpc:SetThirdPartyCredential>
    <axtpc:ThirdPartyCredential>
        <axtpc:Credential token="credential_token">
            <axtpc:UserToken />
            <axtpc:Description />
            <axtpc:ValidFrom>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidFrom>
            <axtpc:ValidTo>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidTo>
            <axtpc:Enabled>true</axtpc:Enabled>
            <axtpc:Status>NotActivated</axtpc:Status>
            <axtpc:IdData Name="PIN" Value="1234" />
            <axtpc:Attribute
                type=""
                Name="Email"
                "Value="kalle.karlsson@example.com" />
            <axtpc:Attribute
                type=""
                Name="LastName"
                "Value="Karlsson" />
            <axtpc:Attribute
                type=""
                Name="FirstName"
                "Value="Kalle" />
            <axtpc:AuthenticationProfile />
            <axtpc:AuthenticationProfile />
            <axtpc:CredentialAccessProfile>
                <axtpc:ValidFrom>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidFrom>
                <axtpc:ValidTo>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidTo>
                <axtpc:AccessProfile />
            </CredentialAccessProfile>
            <axtpc:CredentialAccessProfile>
                <axtpc:ValidFrom>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidFrom>
                <axtpc:ValidTo>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidTo>
                <axtpc:AccessProfile />
            </axtpc:CredentialAccessProfile>
        </axtpc:Credential>
    </axtpc:ThirdPartyCredential>
    <axtpc:ProviderActions type="" Name="" Value="" />
    <actpc:ProviderName>HIDMobileAccess</axtpc:ProvideName>
</axtpc:SetThirdPartyCredential>
Solution for example 3

This example is a perfect storm of XML syntax errors that would make any developer's day a little bit worse! There are actually multiple issues here:

  1. Malformed attributes: The Value attributes have an extra quote mark, "Value="kalle.karlsson@example.com" should be Value="kalle.karlsson@example.com". It's a subtle typo that completely breaks the XML parsing.

  2. Mismatched closing tag: The </CredentialAccessProfile> closing tag is missing its namespace prefix, it should be </axtpc:CredentialAccessProfile>.

  3. Wrong namespace prefix: At the very end, <actpc:ProviderName> should be <axtpc:ProviderName>, and the closing tag has the wrong element name entirely, </axtpc:ProvideName> instead of </axtpc:ProviderName>.

<axtpc:SetThirdPartyCredential>
    <axtpc:ThirdPartyCredential>
        <axtpc:Credential token="credential_token">
            <axtpc:UserToken />
            <axtpc:Description />
            <axtpc:ValidFrom>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidFrom>
            <axtpc:ValidTo>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidTo>
            <axtpc:Enabled>true</axtpc:Enabled>
            <axtpc:Status>NotActivated</axtpc:Status>
            <axtpc:IdData Name="PIN" Value="1234" />
            <axtpc:Attribute
                type=""
                Name="Email"
                "Value="kalle.karlsson@example.com" />
            <axtpc:Attribute
                type=""
                Name="LastName"
                "Value="Karlsson" />
            <axtpc:Attribute
                type=""
                Name="FirstName"
                "Value="Kalle" />
            <axtpc:AuthenticationProfile />
            <axtpc:AuthenticationProfile />
            <axtpc:CredentialAccessProfile>
                <axtpc:ValidFrom>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidFrom>
                <axtpc:ValidTo>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidTo>
                <axtpc:AccessProfile />
            </CredentialAccessProfile>
            <axtpc:CredentialAccessProfile>
                <axtpc:ValidFrom>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidFrom>
                <axtpc:ValidTo>2017-05-17T22:48:01Z</axtpc:ValidTo>
                <axtpc:AccessProfile />
            </axtpc:CredentialAccessProfile>
        </axtpc:Credential>
    </axtpc:ThirdPartyCredential>
    <axtpc:ProviderActions type="" Name="" Value="" />
    <actpc:ProviderName>HIDMobileAccess</axtpc:ProvideName>
</axtpc:SetThirdPartyCredential>
]]> Mattias Kindborg https://github.com/mattias-kindborg-at-work <![CDATA[JSON syntax validation]]> https://developer.axis.com/blog/2025/06/17/json-syntax-validation/ 2025-06-17T00:00:00.000Z Why did we start to validate all JSON code blocks for syntax validity?

The importance of correctness​

We’ve all been there, staring at a code example in the docs, only to find out (after a bit of head-scratching and maybe a few muttered words) that it doesn’t actually work. You start tweaking things, guessing what’s wrong, and before you know it you’re deep in what we might call frustration-driven development. Sure, it’s a learning experience, but it’s not the kind we want you to have.

At Axis, we know how valuable your time (and sanity) is. That’s why we’ve introduced automatic JSON syntax validation for all code blocks in our documentation. Our goal? To make sure every JSON example you see is valid, so you can focus on building great things, not debugging copy-paste errors.

For transparency, we’re currently only checking that the JSON examples are syntactically correct. This means you won’t run into missing commas, brackets or quotes, but it’s still possible for an example to have the wrong key or value. Validating the semantics of JSON examples is a much bigger challenge, and while we hope to get there eventually with the help of JSON schemas and OpenAPI specifications, for now we’re happy to help keep your blood pressure in check by catching those pesky syntax errors.

JSON is meant to be easy to read and write, but let’s be honest: it’s also easy to make small mistakes. And when you’re reading docs, your brain tends to fill in the gaps, making it even harder to spot those little issues.

To show just how sneaky these errors can be, let’s play a quick game of Spot the error. Below are three real JSON examples (all of which now have been fixed in our docs, alongside another 150+ fixes). See if you can find the syntax mistake in each one. Expand the solution to check your answer!

Spot the error​

Example 1​

{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "data": {
        "propertyList": {
            "Brand": "AXIS",
            "ProdNbr": "Q3505 Mk II",
            "Version": "8.20.1",
        }
    }
}
Solution for example 1

A common mistake is adding a trailing comma after the last property in an object. While this is perfectly fine in JavaScript or TypeScript (and often encouraged by linters for cleaner diffs), JSON does not allow it.

{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "data": {
        "propertyList": {
            "Brand": "AXIS",
            "ProdNbr": "Q3505 Mk II",
            "Version": "8.20.1",
        }
    }
}

Example 2​

{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "method": "set"
    "params": {
        "<CustomHeaderName>": "<CustomHeaderValue>"
    }
}
Solution for example 2

A subtle but common mistake in JSON is forgetting to add a comma between properties. In the example there’s no comma between the "method": "set" and "params": { ... } lines.

{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "method": "set"
    "params": {
        "<CustomHeaderName>": "<CustomHeaderValue>"
    }
}

Example 3​

{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "context": "abc",
    "method": "getNetworkInfo",
    "data": {
        "system": {
            "tcpEcnMode": "acceptAndInitiate",
            "deviceSwitching": {
                "mode": "auto",
                "devices": ["eth0", "eth1"],
                "manualActiveDevices": ["eth0"],
                "activeDevices": ["eth0"]
            },
            "hostname": {
                "useDhcpHostname": true,
                "hostname": "somehostname",
                "staticHostname": "somestatichostname"
            },
            "resolver": {
                "useDhcpResolverInfo": true,
                "nameServers": ["192.168.0.1", "fd::1"],
                "staticNameServers": ["192.168.0.8", "192.168.0.4"],
                "maxSupportedStaticNameServers": 3,
                "searchDomains": ["example.com"],
                "staticSearchDomains": ["something.net", "something-else.org"],
                "maxSupportedStaticSearchDomains": 6,
                "domainName": "axis.com",
                "staticDomainName:" "abczxcqwe.se"
            }
        },
        "devices": [
            {
                "name": "eth0",
                "type": "wired",
                "macAddress": "ac:cc:8e:68:8e:c4",
                "partOfBridge": "",
                "link": true,
                "IPv4": {
                    "enabled": true,
                    "configurationMode": "dhcp",
                    "linkLocalMode": "off",
                    "addresses": [
                        {
                            "address": "169.168.0.165",
                            "prefixLength": 24,
                            "origin": "dchp",
                            "scope": "global",
                            "broadcast": "192.168.0.255"
                        },
                        {
                            "address": "169.254.211.16",
                            "prefixLength": 16,
                            "origin": "linkLocal",
                            "scope": "link"
                        }
                    ],
                    "maxSupportedStaticAddressConfigurations": 1,
                    "staticAddressConfigurations": [
                        {
                            "address": "192.168.0.90",
                            "prefixLength": 24,
                            "broadcast": "192.168.0.255"
                        }
                    ],
                    "defaultRouter": "192.168.0.1",
                    "staticDefaultRouter": "192.168.0.1"
                },
                "IPv6": {
                    "enabled": true,
                    "configurationMode": "dhcp",
                    "addresses": [
                        {
                            "address": "fe80::240:8cff:felb:eef5",
                            "prefixLength": 64,
                            "origin": "linkLocal",
                            "scope": "link"
                        },
                        {
                            "address": "fd1c:360:4e4d:a5b2::e42",
                            "prefixLength": 128,
                            "origin": "dhcp",
                            "scope": "site"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "wired": {
                    "linkMode": "auto",
                    "8021X": {
                        "enabled": false,
                        "status": "authorized",
                        "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS",
                        "configurations": [
                            {
                                "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS",
                                "params": {
                                    "identity": "Lobby",
                                    "eapolVersion": "EAPoLv2"
                                }
                            }
                        ],
                        "supportedModes": ["WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS"]
                    }
                }
            },
            {
                "name": "eth1",
                "type": "wlan",
                "macAddress": "ac:cc:8e:68:8e:c4",
                "partOfBridge": "",
                "link": false,
                "wlan": {
                    "station": {
                        "activeSsid": "lobby",
                        "8021X": {
                            "enabled": true,
                            "staus": "Stopped",
                            "mode": "none",
                            "configurations": [
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Personal-PSK",
                                    "params": {
                                        "is_psk_set": false
                                    }
                                },
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Personal-HEX",
                                    "params": {
                                        "is_hex_set": false
                                    }
                                },
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-PEAP-MSCHAPv2",
                                    "params": {
                                        "identity": "",
                                        "is_password_set": false,
                                        "eapolVersion": "EAPoLv1",
                                        "peapVersion": 1,
                                        "label": 1
                                    }
                                },
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS",
                                    "params": {
                                        "identity": "",
                                        "eapolVersion": "EAPoLv1"
                                    }
                                }
                            ],
                            "supportedModes": [
                                "none",
                                "WPA-Personal-PSK",
                                "WPA-Personal-HEX",
                                "WPA-Enterprise-PEAP-MSCHAPv2",
                                "WPA-Enterprise_EAPTLS"
                            ]
                        }
                    },
                    "accessPoint": {
                        "ssid": "hazelnut",
                        "enabled": false,
                        "authenticationMode": "WPA-Personal-PSK",
                        "installationModeSupported": true
                    }
                },
                "IPv4": {
                    "enabled": true,
                    "configurationMode": "dhcp",
                    "linkLocalMode": "off",
                    "addresses": [],
                    "maxSupportedStaticAddressConfigurations": 1,
                    "staticAddressConfigurations": [
                        {
                            "address": "192.168.0.90",
                            "prefixLength": 24,
                            "broadcast": "192.168.0.225"
                        }
                    ],
                    "defaultRouter": "",
                    "staticDefaultRouter": "dhcp"
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}
Solution for example 3

This mistake would be easy to spot in a small example, but in a large block of JSON like this, it’s much harder to catch. In this case, the error is that the staticDomainName property has the colon on the wrong side of the quotation mark. When scanning through a long list of properties, it’s easy for your eyes to skip right over a small typo like this, another reason why automated validation is so helpful!

{
    "apiVersion": "1.0",
    "context": "abc",
    "method": "getNetworkInfo",
    "data": {
        "system": {
            "tcpEcnMode": "acceptAndInitiate",
            "deviceSwitching": {
                "mode": "auto",
                "devices": ["eth0", "eth1"],
                "manualActiveDevices": ["eth0"],
                "activeDevices": ["eth0"]
            },
            "hostname": {
                "useDhcpHostname": true,
                "hostname": "somehostname",
                "staticHostname": "somestatichostname"
            },
            "resolver": {
                "useDhcpResolverInfo": true,
                "nameServers": ["192.168.0.1", "fd::1"],
                "staticNameServers": ["192.168.0.8", "192.168.0.4"],
                "maxSupportedStaticNameServers": 3,
                "searchDomains": ["example.com"],
                "staticSearchDomains": ["something.net", "something-else.org"],
                "maxSupportedStaticSearchDomains": 6,
                "domainName": "axis.com",
                "staticDomainName:" "abczxcqwe.se"
            }
        },
        "devices": [
            {
                "name": "eth0",
                "type": "wired",
                "macAddress": "ac:cc:8e:68:8e:c4",
                "partOfBridge": "",
                "link": true,
                "IPv4": {
                    "enabled": true,
                    "configurationMode": "dhcp",
                    "linkLocalMode": "off",
                    "addresses": [
                        {
                            "address": "169.168.0.165",
                            "prefixLength": 24,
                            "origin": "dchp",
                            "scope": "global",
                            "broadcast": "192.168.0.255"
                        },
                        {
                            "address": "169.254.211.16",
                            "prefixLength": 16,
                            "origin": "linkLocal",
                            "scope": "link"
                        }
                    ],
                    "maxSupportedStaticAddressConfigurations": 1,
                    "staticAddressConfigurations": [
                        {
                            "address": "192.168.0.90",
                            "prefixLength": 24,
                            "broadcast": "192.168.0.255"
                        }
                    ],
                    "defaultRouter": "192.168.0.1",
                    "staticDefaultRouter": "192.168.0.1"
                },
                "IPv6": {
                    "enabled": true,
                    "configurationMode": "dhcp",
                    "addresses": [
                        {
                            "address": "fe80::240:8cff:felb:eef5",
                            "prefixLength": 64,
                            "origin": "linkLocal",
                            "scope": "link"
                        },
                        {
                            "address": "fd1c:360:4e4d:a5b2::e42",
                            "prefixLength": 128,
                            "origin": "dhcp",
                            "scope": "site"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "wired": {
                    "linkMode": "auto",
                    "8021X": {
                        "enabled": false,
                        "status": "authorized",
                        "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS",
                        "configurations": [
                            {
                                "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS",
                                "params": {
                                    "identity": "Lobby",
                                    "eapolVersion": "EAPoLv2"
                                }
                            }
                        ],
                        "supportedModes": ["WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS"]
                    }
                }
            },
            {
                "name": "eth1",
                "type": "wlan",
                "macAddress": "ac:cc:8e:68:8e:c4",
                "partOfBridge": "",
                "link": false,
                "wlan": {
                    "station": {
                        "activeSsid": "lobby",
                        "8021X": {
                            "enabled": true,
                            "staus": "Stopped",
                            "mode": "none",
                            "configurations": [
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Personal-PSK",
                                    "params": {
                                        "is_psk_set": false
                                    }
                                },
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Personal-HEX",
                                    "params": {
                                        "is_hex_set": false
                                    }
                                },
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-PEAP-MSCHAPv2",
                                    "params": {
                                        "identity": "",
                                        "is_password_set": false,
                                        "eapolVersion": "EAPoLv1",
                                        "peapVersion": 1,
                                        "label": 1
                                    }
                                },
                                {
                                    "mode": "WPA-Enterprise-EAPTLS",
                                    "params": {
                                        "identity": "",
                                        "eapolVersion": "EAPoLv1"
                                    }
                                }
                            ],
                            "supportedModes": [
                                "none",
                                "WPA-Personal-PSK",
                                "WPA-Personal-HEX",
                                "WPA-Enterprise-PEAP-MSCHAPv2",
                                "WPA-Enterprise_EAPTLS"
                            ]
                        }
                    },
                    "accessPoint": {
                        "ssid": "hazelnut",
                        "enabled": false,
                        "authenticationMode": "WPA-Personal-PSK",
                        "installationModeSupported": true
                    }
                },
                "IPv4": {
                    "enabled": true,
                    "configurationMode": "dhcp",
                    "linkLocalMode": "off",
                    "addresses": [],
                    "maxSupportedStaticAddressConfigurations": 1,
                    "staticAddressConfigurations": [
                        {
                            "address": "192.168.0.90",
                            "prefixLength": 24,
                            "broadcast": "192.168.0.225"
                        }
                    ],
                    "defaultRouter": "",
                    "staticDefaultRouter": "dhcp"
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}
]]> Mattias Kindborg https://github.com/mattias-kindborg-at-work <![CDATA[ACAP documentation]]> https://developer.axis.com/blog/2025/02/06/acap/ 2025-02-06T00:00:00.000Z Why did we move the AXIS Camera Application Platform (ACAP) documentation to Axis developer documentation?

Let's start by explaining what ACAP is. ACAP is an open platform that allows partners to develop applications that are installed directly onto the device itself.

ACAP

Axis focuses on providing a consistent developer experience across our APIs, ensuring that the same platform is used throughout our entire product portfolio. This means that a developer can utilize the same APIs, such as those for requesting video, regardless of whether they are working with an encoder or a fixed dome camera. Additionally, we strive to expose the same APIs whether you run the application on a server or directly on the Axis device itself.

ACAP API

ACAP is designed for developing applications across a wide range of solutions within security, safety, and operational efficiency. It's also ideal for custom software solutions that address specific customer use cases that cannot be met with off-the-shelf products or solutions from Axis.

The history of ACAP​

In 2006, Axis revolutionized the industry by enabling image and audio processing algorithms to run directly on Axis devices instead of at a central location. This innovation stemmed from a strong belief that achieving scalability required performing analytics at the edge, a principle we still uphold today.

Recognizing that the edge represented the future, we aimed to empower our partners to develop applications that could run on our devices. To achieve this, we invited a select group of application development partners to discuss the tools needed for creating applications on edge devices.

From this collaboration, Axis developed and launched the first version of ACAP in 2009. Since then, the number of active developers has grown significantly, ranging from those making a business of selling ACAP applications, to those working for universities using ACAP to monitor experiments.

The value proposition​

The principle of ACAP is to empower as many smart and creative individuals as possible to develop applications across our portfolio, making the best use of our technology, bringing great value to customers, and enabling partners to grow their own businesses. This means making development tools accessible to everyone who wants to create solutions for Axis devices.

Why are we moving ACAP into Axis developer documentation?​

As discussed in our previous post about moving VAPIX® Library to Axis developer documentation, the same rationale applies to the ACAP documentation. Our primary objective is to provide solution builders with a centralized repository of essential information, facilitating the development of their solutions. This is the main reason for integrating the ACAP documentation into Axis developer documentation.

Additionally, this update is a necessary step towards enhancing the quality of the ACAP documentation. Our aim is to provide a more seamless and informative experience for developers who are new to Axis and ACAP.

]]> Mattias Kindborg https://github.com/mattias-kindborg-at-work <![CDATA[VAPIX® documentation]]> https://developer.axis.com/blog/2024/11/13/vapix/ 2024-11-13T00:00:00.000Z Why did we move VAPIX® Library to Axis developer documentation?

Let's start with explaining what VAPIX® is. VAPIX® is an open application programming interface (API) developed by Axis. It equips developers with a comprehensive set of protocols and commands to control various device functions and manage video streams. This includes capabilities such as PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) control, event management, video analytics, and access to device settings.

VAPIX® with emphasis on API

The design of VAPIX® emphasizes flexibility and scalability, enabling developers to create custom applications that interact with Axis devices in diverse ways, tailored to their project requirements. VAPIX® is extensively utilized in security and surveillance systems to facilitate seamless integration between hardware and software components.

The evolution of VAPIX®​

In 1996, Axis introduced the world’s first network camera, the AXIS "NetEye" 200, marking the beginning of the shift from analog to digital video surveillance. Recognizing the need for integrating network cameras with various software solutions, Axis developed VAPIX® as an open API.

VAPIX® was officially launched in the early 2000s. Over the years, it has evolved to support a wide range of functionalities, from basic video streaming to advanced camera controls, event management, and video analytics.

To put the creation of VAPIX® in context, consider some of the significant API technologies that are commonplace today:

  • REST (Representational State Transfer) was academically defined in 2000 and became the standard shortly thereafter.
  • OpenAPI (initially known as “Swagger”) was released in 2011.
  • GraphQL and gRPC were introduced in 2015.

Being an early innovator offers the advantage of market leadership but also involves navigating uncharted territories. This was precisely the case for Axis with VAPIX®.

A unified interface for all products​

VAPIX® serves as the common interface for all Axis products, regardless of whether the product is a network camera, a door station, or a network speaker. This uniformity presents a significant benefit, allowing developers to create software that interacts with any Axis device without the need to learn a new API for each product. Axis itself leverages VAPIX® when developing its products, a practice commonly referred to as "dogfooding".

Within Axis, it is often noted that VAPIX® has played a crucial role in the company's success in the security and surveillance market. VAPIX® not only provides a consistent interface for all products but has also demonstrated remarkable stability over the years. The strong coupling between VAPIX® and AXIS OS enables the use of the same version of AXIS OS across our product portfolio, ensuring consistency in APIs and versions throughout. This synergy allows VAPIX® to benefit from both the Long-Term Support (LTS) and Active tracks:

  • The LTS track provides a stable API version with no changes, guaranteeing reliability and predictability.
  • The Active track introduces new features and improvements, driving innovation and progress.

These dual tracks enable us to implement breaking changes in a controlled manner, minimizing disruptions and ensuring a seamless experience for our customers. Moreover, integrating new products into the same track facilitates code reusability for clients, contributing to the widespread adoption and popularity of VAPIX® in the market.

Compared to ONVIF, VAPIX® boasts a longer history, a broader range of features, and a faster evolution pace, solidifying its position as a leading choice among developers and users alike.

The extent of VAPIX®​

The vast scope of VAPIX® warrants a dedicated chapter. As previously mentioned, VAPIX® is the universal interface for all Axis products. This consistency is a significant advantage, though it can also present certain challenges.

To gain a better understanding, let’s delve deeper. If we begin by counting the number of words in the VAPIX® documentation:

Counting words in VAPIX® documentation
$ find . -type f -name '*.md' -print0 | # Find all Markdown files
    xargs -0 cat                      | # Concatenate content
    wc -w                               # Count words
> 626712

Approximately 630,000 words! That’s quite substantial. Is this estimate accurate? Having reviewed portions of the documentation, it is clear that it includes numerous headings and tables. In Markdown, these are represented by control characters such as #, |, and -. Let’s remove these characters to refine our estimate:

Counting words in VAPIX® documentation (refined)
$ find . -type f -name '*.md' -print0 | # Find all Markdown files
    xargs -0 cat                      | # Concatenate content
    sed 's/[#\|-]//g'                 | # Remove control characters
    wc -w                               # Count words
> 537458

Approximately 540,000 words! This is still a considerable amount and appears to be a more reasonable estimate. But what does this number signify? To put it into perspective, consider the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), which details the meaning, history, and usage of about 620,000 word-forms. Essentially, the VAPIX® documentation contains only about 13% fewer words than word-forms in the OED.

For a final estimation, let’s consider how long it would take to read the entire VAPIX® documentation. Assuming an average reading speed of 230 words per minute, it would take nearly 39 hours to read through the entire documentation. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Why are we moving VAPIX® Library into Axis developer documentation?​

The rationale behind the creation of Axis developer documentation is detailed in the Hello, World! blog post. In summary, our goal is to provide solution builders with a centralized repository of information necessary to develop their solutions. This is the primary reason we are integrating the VAPIX® Library into Axis developer documentation. Secondly, this update extends beyond a frontend change; we are undertaking a comprehensive redesign of our backend systems and documentation publishing workflow. These enhancements are set to improve efficiency, strengthen developer-user engagement, and enable more flexible and responsive management of API ownership.

As previously mentioned, VAPIX® has played an invaluable role in facilitating the integration of Axis devices into various systems. However, VAPIX® is just one of several integration points that Axis offers. Different scenarios necessitate different integration points, and while VAPIX® serves local network integration needs, there are other platforms for different requirements. For instance, if you wish to run your software directly on the device, you would use the AXIS Camera Application Platform (ACAP). It is worth noting that the ACAP developer documentation is not yet available on Axis developer documentation, but we plan to address this in the near future.

Consolidation is key. Our objective is to gather all essential resources into Axis developer documentation, thereby enhancing your development experience. Stay tuned as we continue to improve and expand our documentation to support your journey as a solution builder.

]]> Turgut Öner https://github.com/tragut Mattias Kindborg https://github.com/mattias-kindborg-at-work <![CDATA[Dark mode theme]]> https://developer.axis.com/blog/2024/07/18/dark-mode-theme/ 2024-07-18T00:00:00.000Z Why was the first thing we added a dark mode theme?

As developers, we constantly seek that sweet spot known as "the zone". Now, I'm a bit hesitant to admit it, but for me, productivity is merely a by-product of being in the zone. The real thrill comes from not just solving a problem, but finding the best solution.

Personally, entering the zone is a ritual, involving certain steps to create a distraction-free environment. One key step is controlling the lighting. I close the window blinds, blocking out any unpredictable sunlight that could pull me out of my focus, and instead, I turn on a few soft ambient light sources. In this controlled environment, anything on my computer that doesn't support dark mode becomes a source of irritation, breaking the harmony.

As a representative of Axis Communications, I don't want to be the source of that irritation. That's why we've added support for dark mode on Axis developer documentation. The toggle to switch between light and dark mode can be found in the upper right corner of the web page.

Theme toggle

Your theme choice is saved in your local browser storage and will automatically be applied the next time you visit the documentation.

Landing page in the dark mode theme

We hope this new feature enhances your experience and helps you to control your environment, stay focused, and thrive in the zone. So go ahead, join the dark side!

P.S. An anecdote to end this post: I once had a manager who asked me why I opened the window blinds, flooding the room with light, before leaving the office for the day. He found my response amusing when I explained that my office plants needed the light, completely disregarding the fact that I, too, might need some sunlight from time to time. 😝

]]> Mattias Kindborg https://github.com/mattias-kindborg-at-work <![CDATA[Hello, World!]]> https://developer.axis.com/blog/2024/06/05/hello-world/ 2024-06-05T00:00:00.000Z What is Axis developer documentation, and what is it trying to solve?

As a member of the Developer Offering team at Axis, my job is all about understanding our customers. What are they up to? What problems are they tackling? Generally, we see two types of developers - those familiar with Axis, and those who aren't.

Feedback indicates that those familiar with Axis can find the information they need. Maybe they have access to support channels, or they've discovered resources like VAPIX®. But for those who don't know about Axis, their search starts with Google, Bing, or a similar search engine. Historically, Axis offered a vast ocean of information with tiny islands scattered about.

islands of information speckled across the vast ocean

We always hoped developers would stumble upon the right island of information. However, without bridges linking these islands, there was no guided journey. These islands represent what Axis offers and the integration points at your disposal, but they're not easily discoverable.

Recognizing the lack of a comprehensive developer journey, we began analyzing what we had and what we were missing. Our analysis highlighted our product pages and the Developer Community (now renamed to Axis For Developers). These resources have been available for years and are indeed excellent. The product pages target potential customers, while the Developer Community guides some of these customers on their developer journey. However, both primarily focus on Axis's value and unique selling points, not always addressing the practical questions about building something with Axis products.

We also realized that we were falling short in answering the "how". As a developer, you need API documentation, but you also want access to getting started and how-to guides. A good developer journey answers the right questions at the right time.

With these findings we decided to create Axis developer documentation, a consolidated resource for all aspects of building solutions with Axis products.

answering the how

Axis developer documentation will compliment the journey through the discover/build/learn process.

the developer journey

It has been designed to fit neatly between the Developer Community and GitHub. While we all love GitHub and find it splendid for hosting code, it's not the best for storytelling, especially when the story spans multiple repositories.

With the launch of Axis developer documentation, we're excited to build amazing things together! 🚀

]]> Mattias Kindborg https://github.com/mattias-kindborg-at-work