I have tried following the various web pages, and the instructions seem out of date compare to the experience on a page, I have built against and used the restful api for many years in various companies. I have also downloaded the full pscs data (every day for 3 years)… and consumed that… its ridiculous large amount of data to be pulling, so I want to use the streaming api.
I have tried following the instructions on the various pages, they dont work as described… How on earth do I get a streaming api key? its seems impossible
Regards Julian Guppy
(Disclaimer - I’m not part of Companies House, just another punter). Perhaps it would help others who might assist if you listed exactly what are you actually trying to do, what you see when you do so, and what do you mean by “don’t work as described”?
We did this a long time ago (so some things have no doubt changed) but it was pretty simple. We basically followed the instructions + at Companies House information site here:
As I recall, first we simply created an account:
At https developer.company-information.service.gov.uk/signin
(Apologies - the links here are all https - just copy / paste and add https:// at the start)
Per Companies House info here, we headed to the manage applications area and chose “add”:
https developer.company-information.service.gov.uk/manage-applications/add
We selected the “live” application (don’t select the “Test” one unless you are very sure you need that for a particular use - some things don’t seem to work as expected).
Add any IPs you’re going to be calling CH from, and/or (for calling from a client environment e.g. javascript / CORS) list your domain name(s) in the Javascript domains.
You should get an API key - which as far as I’m aware works for both the Public Data API / Documents API and the Streaming API.
Does that work for you? If not, what are you doing and what happens?
Good luck.
- The official documentation may not be up-to-date … in general take their documentation as a starting point, and try and see / search this forum for information.
When I clicked live… there was nothing in there to even allow me to set the Ips… Im all for adding the IP SEC… personally I love that… however… the website doesnt even give me the option - I wish the site behaved like the docs… thank you for answering - but it appears a bit mmmm “wonky”. Id love to not download 14,041,038kb per day…
If you got through that page, then go to “View all applications” does it show the name?
If you see something there that you can click on, on the page that opens you should have the option to “Create new Key” (possibly Create A key if it’s the first time?)
That is where you get the option to add IPs / domains, as I recall?
Agree about “wonky APIs” (or documentation). In we’ve interacted with public and private ones using SOAP, REST or other styles, in larger or smaller organisations… We’ve never found a single one without “features” and/or mismatches between the documentation and reality. Never mind stuff which simply isn’t documented! There is certainly variation but nothing has “worked” without some degree of “try it and adjust depending on what you find in practice”.
Well, having waited 24hrs (maybe they have a process) clicking the link again allowed me to see and get the key - as a UX/UI experience its very… erm… not as expected. Thank you for your help I did get a key in the end
