Real-Time Data Patterns with FileMaker OData

Beginner

OData is request-response only -- understand how to build near-real-time data feeds using polling and webhooks alongside OData.

What you'll learn

  • The limitations of OData for real-time data
  • Polling strategies with OData $filter on timestamps
  • FileMaker script-based webhooks for push notifications
  • When polling vs. webhooks is the right choice

OData is a stateless request-response protocol -- it has no push notifications or real-time streaming. If your integration needs to react to data changes in near-real time, you need to combine OData polling with FileMaker-side change detection, or use FileMaker scripts that push notifications to an external webhook when records change.

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Polling with ModifiedAt timestamps

Poll only changed records by filtering on a ModifiedAt timestamp field. Store the last successful poll timestamp and use it in the next request:

HTTP
// First poll: get all records
GET /fmi/odata/v4/DB/Contacts

// Subsequent polls: only records modified since last poll
GET /fmi/odata/v4/DB/Contacts
  ?$filter=ModifiedAt gt 2024-06-15T10:00:00Z
  &$orderby=ModifiedAt asc
The FileMaker Custom App APIRunning FileMaker Scripts via OData

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