canonical: https://jentic.com/apis/help.claris.com/filemaker-admin-api

# Help Claris Claris FileMaker Admin API

Jentic publishes the only available OpenAPI specification for Claris FileMaker Admin API, keeping it validated and agent-ready. The FileMaker Admin API v2 is a REST API that performs administrative tasks on FileMaker Cloud and FileMaker Server, including server status checks, database lifecycle operations, schedule management, client session control, and runtime settings. Operators use it to script database opens and closes, push targeted messages to connected clients, and run backups on a schedule. Responses are JSON and authentication is performed by exchanging Basic credentials for a bearer access token.

## For AI agents

Administer FileMaker Server and FileMaker Cloud - open and close databases, message connected clients, manage schedules, and inspect server status - through a JSON REST API.

## Scope

Does not read or write FileMaker records, run finds, or execute layout scripts - use the FileMaker Data API for record-level work and this Admin API for server, database, schedule, and client administration only.

## Capabilities

- Exchange admin credentials for a bearer access token via POST `/user/auth`
- Inspect FileMaker Server runtime status and metadata for health checks
- Open, close, pause, and resume hosted databases without using the admin console
- Send targeted messages to connected FileMaker clients before disconnecting them
- Schedule backups, scripts, and system maintenance windows
- Update server-wide settings such as logging and security options

## Use cases

### Automated FileMaker Server Health Checks

Operators can poll GET `/server/status` and GET `/server/metadata` on a schedule to feed monitoring dashboards or alerting systems with live FileMaker Server health. Combined with the databases endpoints, the same job can verify that critical solutions are open and accepting connections. This replaces manual logins to the admin console for routine checks.

Example prompt: GET `/server/status` and GET /databases, then alert if any expected database is not in the open state.

### Maintenance Window Client Notifications

Before pushing a schema update or restarting the server, an admin can iterate connected clients via GET /clients and send a notice through POST `/clients/{clientId}/message` so users save their work. Once the window opens, DELETE `/clients/{clientId}` disconnects remaining sessions cleanly. This avoids data loss and surprise disconnects during maintenance.

Example prompt: GET /clients, POST `/clients/{clientId}/message` with the maintenance notice, wait, then DELETE `/clients/{clientId}` for any remaining sessions.

### Scheduled Database Backups

Backup jobs can be created and inspected through the /schedules endpoints, letting infra teams version-control their FileMaker schedules alongside other infrastructure. The same endpoints expose schedule run results so a CI job can fail loudly when a backup did not execute. This keeps FileMaker administration in line with modern devops workflows.

Example prompt: POST /schedules with a nightly backup definition, then GET `/schedules/{scheduleId}` the next morning to confirm it ran.

### AI Agent Driven Server Operations

An AI agent acting as a tier-1 ops responder can use Jentic to call the FileMaker Admin API when an alert fires: open a database that closed unexpectedly, message stuck clients, or roll a schedule. Credentials stay in your Jentic One instance and the agent works from declared schemas, so it cannot drift onto undocumented endpoints. This is well suited to small operations teams stretching coverage hours.

Example prompt: Search Jentic for 'open a filemaker database', load the PATCH `/databases/{databaseId}` schema, and execute with action=open.

## Key endpoints

| Method | Path | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| POST | `/user/auth` | Request a bearer access token |
| GET | `/server/status` | Get FileMaker Server status |
| GET | `/databases` | List hosted databases |
| PATCH | `/databases/{databaseId}` | Open, close, pause, or resume a database |
| POST | `/clients/{clientId}/message` | Send a message to a connected client |
| DELETE | `/clients/{clientId}` | Disconnect a connected client |
| POST | `/schedules` | Create a scheduled task |

## Key resources

- **Authentication** — Exchange Basic credentials for a bearer access token
- **Server** — Inspect and update FileMaker Server status and metadata
- **Databases** — List, open, close, and download hosted databases
- **Clients** — List, message, and disconnect connected clients
- **Schedules** — Create, list, and inspect scheduled tasks
- **Settings** — Manage server-wide configuration

## Why Jentic

- **Setup:** Wiring the FileMaker Admin API by hand means learning its basic login at `/user/auth`, carrying the short-lived bearer token it returns, and pointing every call at your own FileMaker Server host. Through Jentic you install once, import the FileMaker Admin API from the API Directory, store the credentials once, and your agent calls it.
- **Permission scoping:** The Admin API puts the database and client id in the URL path (`/databases/{databaseId}`, `/clients/{clientId}`), so a rule can pin your agent to administering one database or messaging one client. You choose the operations it may call, so destructive ones like closing a database or disconnecting a client with DELETE are not included unless you add them.
- **Credential handling:** Your FileMaker admin username and password and the session bearer token are stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time. They never enter the agent's prompt, logs, or context.
- **Discovery method:** Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'check server status' or 'schedule a database backup', and Jentic returns the matching Admin API operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without reading the FileMaker admin guide.

## Related APIs

- **Claris FileMaker Data API** — Record-level read/write counterpart to the admin API
- **Claris FileMaker OData API** — OData 4.01 query interface for FileMaker data
- **MongoDB Atlas Admin API** — Admin API for managed MongoDB clusters

## FAQ

### Why is there no official OpenAPI spec for Claris FileMaker Admin API?

Claris does not publish an OpenAPI specification. Jentic generates and maintains this spec so that AI agents and developers can call Claris FileMaker Admin API via structured tooling. It is validated against the live API and kept up to date. Get started with Jentic One, the self-hosted execution layer.

### What authentication does the FileMaker Admin API use?

The API uses HTTP Basic authentication on POST `/user/auth` to obtain a bearer access token, which is then sent as Authorization: Bearer {token} on subsequent calls. Tokens expire and must be refreshed by re-authenticating. Jentic stores the admin credentials in its vault and injects the bearer token at execution time.

### Can I open and close hosted databases with the FileMaker Admin API?

Yes. PATCH `/databases/{databaseId}` accepts open, close, pause, and resume actions on a specific hosted database. DELETE `/databases/{databaseId}` removes the database from the host entirely.

### What are the rate limits for the FileMaker Admin API?

Claris does not document a public rate limit table for the Admin API. Because operations are administrative (start, stop, schedule), volumes are typically low. Avoid tight polling of GET `/server/status` - refresh on a schedule of a minute or more.

### How do I disconnect a stuck client through Jentic?

Search Jentic for 'disconnect a filemaker client', load the DELETE `/clients/{clientId}` schema, and execute with the clientId. Jentic supplies the bearer token from the vault.

### Can the API manage scheduled backups?

Yes. POST /schedules creates a new schedule and GET /schedules lists existing ones. GET `/schedules/{scheduleId}` returns the configuration and last-run status for a specific schedule, so a job runner can verify a nightly backup actually ran.

### Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the FileMaker Admin API?

Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which operations the agent may call and which credentials it may use, so you can grant read-only status and database checks while withholding destructive calls like DELETE `/clients/{clientId}` or a close action on PATCH `/databases/{databaseId}.` Since the FileMaker Admin API puts the target in the URL path, such as `/databases/{databaseId}` and `/clients/{clientId}`, you can pin the agent to administering a single database or messaging one client. Nothing runs unless you have added that operation to what the agent is allowed to do.