PanelConfig API Overview
Understand PanelConfig API structure, authentication, request logging, and provider integration workflows.
The PanelConfig API is the JSON interface for remote operational visibility and integration work. In the deployed build, the API is implemented as PHP files under /api/v1/. Most current resources are read-only endpoints that return operational records such as hosting accounts, domains, websites, DNS zones, SSL orders, email records, databases, backups, jobs, health checks, security events, and service state.
API Structure
| Area | Current behavior |
|---|---|
| Transport | Simple HTTP endpoints under /api/v1/*.php. |
| Authentication | Bearer tokens are read from the Authorization header and stored as SHA-256 hashes. |
| Rate limiting | Most authenticated endpoints call pc_rate_limit_or_fail(..., 120, 60). |
| Writes | The available API files inspected for this import are GET/read resources. Write provisioning is documented separately as workflow guidance. |
| Logging | Authenticated requests update token last-use time and insert into api_requests when that table exists. |
Operational Positioning
Use the API for remote systems that need to inspect panel state, verify provisioning status, collect security and health information, or connect provider workflows without opening PCAdmin. Use PCAdmin when a human operator is making decisions. Use PCUser when a customer is managing their own hosting account. Use PCCLI for local server automation where shell execution and cron integration are more appropriate.
Boundary Diagram
flowchart LR
A[External Client] --> B[PanelConfig API]
C[PCAdmin] --> D[PanelConfig Core]
E[PCUser] --> D
F[PCCLI] --> D
B --> D
D --> G[Database]
D --> H[Job Queue]
D --> I[Audit and Request Logs]Important Notes
- Do not assume that a planned endpoint exists because it appears in a roadmap table.
- For the current build, treat endpoint files as the source of truth.
- Keep API tokens separate for monitoring, billing integration, DNS automation, and backup tooling.
- Test on staging before connecting a billing or provisioning system to production.