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API Fair Use policy

This Fair Use Policy outlines the acceptable use of the Zaptec API for all integrators, developers and third parties accessing and utilising the API. This policy is designed to ensure a stable, reliable and equitable experience for all users of the Zaptec platform and connected services. Adherence to this policy is a condition of using the Zaptec API.

1. General Principles

The Zaptec API is provided to foster innovation and enable seamless integration with the Zaptec charging ecosystem. Integrators, developers and/or third parties are expected to utilise the API in a responsible and efficient manner that does not negatively impact the performance, stability or security of the Zaptec platform or the experience of other users. Fair use is characterised by reasonable usage patterns that align with the intended purpose of the API and respect the shared nature of the infrastructure.

2. API Usage and Rate Limiting

To maintain the stability and performance of the Zaptec API for all users, specific usage recommendations and limits are enforced:

  • Rate Limits: We have a standard rate limit of 10 requests per second per account. This limit is in place to ensure fair usage and reliable performance for all users of our service. Please ensure your usage stays within this limit. If you are developing an application with high throughput requirements or expect substantial growth, please reach out to us. We will gladly review your use case and work with you to find a suitable and scalable arrangement.
  • Use of Documented APIs Only: Integrators must only use officially documented and supported API endpoints. Use of internal, undocumented, or reverse-engineered API calls such as those derived from the Zaptec Portal or other internal tools is strictly prohibited. This ensures system stability, security, and consistent support for all integration partners.
  • Do Not Use Aggressive Polling: Aggressive polling to detect changes is prohibited. It will result in rate limiting and may lead to suspension or revocation of your access.
  • Leverage Service Bus Subscriptions: For near real-time updates on installation and charger states, Integrators, developers and/or third parties should utilize the provided installation or UserGroups service bus subscriptions. This is the recommended method for staying informed about changes without continuous API polling.
  • Efficient Data Retrieval:
    • Fetch data efficiently and only when necessary.
    • For data that does not change frequently, such as lists of installations or chargers, consider fetching this data less often (e.g., at a maximum of once an hour, or specifically when a new unknown charging station is detected). Store this data locally within your integration.
    • When fetching details for a specific charging station, utilise the nameFilter in the /api/chargers call with the charger serial number to avoid fetching unnecessary data.
    • Be aware that certain commands may require the Zaptec backend to fetch significant amounts of data. For these resource-intensive requests, implement retry mechanisms with exponential backoff to allow the system time to process, and to avoid overwhelming the API during peak load.
  • Local State Management: Integrators, developers and/or third parties are recommended to maintain a local state of charger and installation data within their integration, keeping it synchronised using events from the service bus. This reduces the need for frequent API calls to retrieve current states. Note that the /api/chargers/{id}/state endpoint utilises a 15-second cache.

3. Data Handling and Storage

  • Integrators, developers and/or third parties must handle all data retrieved from the Zaptec API in strict accordance with applicable privacy laws and regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
  • Caching and local storage of data to improve the performance and responsiveness of your integration is permitted. However, Integrators, developers and/or third parties are responsible for ensuring that locally stored data is kept reasonably up-to-date by utilising recommended methods like service bus subscriptions.

4. Security and Authentication

  • Users and Integrators are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of their Zaptec account credentials and API access tokens.
  • Users and Integrators must not share their API credentials with unauthorized third parties.
  • Integrators are not allowed to capture, use or store Zaptec users' credentials/passwords.
  • Any attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Zaptec API, other users' data or to circumvent security measures is strictly prohibited, and will result in immediate action including potential termination of access.
  • Accessing the Zaptec Cloud or API through any automated, unethical or unconventional means other than the provided API is prohibited as per Zaptec's general Terms and Condition.

5. Prohibited Activities

Integrators, developers and third parties are expressly prohibited from using the Zaptec API for, but not limited to, the following activities:

  • Any activity that disrupts, interferes with, overloads, disables or damages the Zaptec Cloud, the API or its associated infrastructure.
  • Engaging in aggressive polling that violates the stated rate limits or negatively impacts the service for others.
  • Using the API for unsolicited advertising, marketing or sales activities unless a separate agreement with Zaptec explicitly permits such use.
  • Any form of excessive data extraction or scraping that goes beyond the reasonable needs of the integration and impacts API performance.
  • Introducing any malicious code, viruses or other harmful material into the Zaptec platform via the API.
  • Using the API in a manner that violates any applicable local, national or international laws or regulations.
  • Misrepresenting the Integrators' or users' identity, the origin of API requests or the nature of their integration.

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6. Use of Undocumented APIs

Integrators, developers and third parties must only use officially documented and supported APIs as provided in the Zaptec API documentation. The use of undocumented, internal, or reverse-engineered API endpoints including those obtained through analysis of Zaptec’s web portal, mobile applications, or other internal systems is strictly prohibited.

Zaptec’s internal APIs are not guaranteed to be stable, may change without notice, and are not supported for external use. Use of such endpoints can lead to system instability, integration failures, or security vulnerabilities, and may result in the suspension or termination of API access.

7. Monitoring, Troubleshooting and Future Services

Zaptec monitors the performance and stability of the API to ensure a high-quality experience for all users. Integrators, developers and/or third parties should also monitor their own systems and API usage for potential issues. In the event of troubleshooting, having visibility into the interaction between your system and the Zaptec API will be important.

Zaptec is reviewing its technical solutions to enable more scalable and resilient integrations, which may lead to the introduction of tiered integration services with specific service level expectations in the future. Integrators, developers and/or third parties will be informed of these changes in advance.

8. Enforcement

Failure to comply with this Fair Use Policy may lead to corrective action by Zaptec. This may include, but is not limited to:

  • Issuing a formal warning to the Integrator, developer and/or third party.
  • Temporarily suspending the Integrator, developer and/or third parties' access to the API.
  • Permanently terminating the Integrator, developer and/or third parties' access to the API.
  • Taking legal action if the violation causes significant harm to Zaptec or other parties.

9. Policy Updates

Zaptec reserves the right to modify or update this Fair Use Policy at any time. Integrators, developers and/or third parties will be notified of significant changes. Continued use of the Zaptec API after the implementation of changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Contact Information

This policy is designed to promote system reliability, maintain long-term supportability, and ensure a consistent and high-quality integration experience for all partners.

We encourage integrators, developers, and third-party providers to contact Zaptec’s technical support or integration team for any feature requests or to report gaps in the official API.

For questions or concerns regarding this Fair Use Policy or your API usage, please reach out to Zaptec Support via https://help.zaptec.com or contact your designated regional Zaptec support representative

Updated 10 days ago