# APIs

### About this export

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| **content_type** | lesson |
| **platform** | contentstack-academy |
| **source_url** | https://www.contentstack.com/academy/courses/headless-cms/apis |
| **course_slug** | headless-cms |
| **lesson_slug** | apis |
| **markdown_file_url** | /academy/md/courses/headless-cms/apis.md |
| **generated_at** | 2026-04-28T06:55:44.556Z |

> Part of **[Headless CMS](https://www.contentstack.com/academy/courses/headless-cms)** on Contentstack Academy. **Academy MD v3** — structured for retrieval; no quiz or assessment keys.

<!-- ai_metadata: {"lesson_id":"05","type":"text","duration_minutes":1,"topics":["APIs"]} -->

#### Lesson text

Contentstack is an API-first headless CMS that offers multiple APIs to manage, deliver, and extend content. These APIs empower both developers and integrations to interact with Contentstack in flexible and powerful ways.

### Supported API Types

*   **Content Delivery API (CDA):** Fetch published content and assets from Contentstack to render on any frontend or digital experience platform.
*   **Content Management API (CMA):** Create, update, and manage content entries, assets, environments, and more—programmatically. Ideal for automation, integrations, and back-office systems.
*   **Image Delivery API:** Optimize and transform images dynamically at the point of delivery. Resize, crop, format-convert, and apply filters directly via the URL.
*   **GraphQL API:** Query only the content you need with Contentstack’s GraphQL endpoint—ideal for modern frontend frameworks and client-side rendering.
*   **Experience Extensions:** Use REST or GraphQL with Extensions (such as webhooks, Lambda functions, and UI extensions) to build custom capabilities.

[Explore a visual overview of these APIs](https://www.canva.com/design/DAGQSKdZGV0/bDyt6yaSAIgsEBAaZN5pbQ/view "Explore a visual overview of these APIs:")

#### Key takeaways

- Connect **APIs** back to your stack configuration before moving to the next module.
- Capture one concrete artifact (screenshot, Postman call, or code snippet) that proves the step works in your environment.
- Re-read the delivery versus management boundary for anything you changed in the entry model.

## Supplement for indexing

### Content summary

APIs. Contentstack is an API-first headless CMS that offers multiple APIs to manage, deliver, and extend content. These APIs empower both developers and integrations to interact with Contentstack in flexible and powerful ways. Supported API Types Content Delivery API (CDA): Fetch published content and assets from Contentstack to render on any frontend or digital experience platform. Content Management API (CMA): Create, update, and manage content entries, assets, environments, and more—programmatically. Ideal for automation, integrations, and back-office systems. Image Delivery API: Optimize and transform images dynamically at the point of delivery. Resize, crop, format-convert, and apply filters

### Retrieval tags

- APIs
- headless-cms
- lesson 05
- headless-cms lesson

### Indexing notes

Index this lesson as a primary chunk tagged with lesson_id "05" and topics: [APIs].
Parent course slug: headless-cms. Use asset_references URLs as thumbnail hints in search results when present.
Never surface LMS quiz content or assessment answers from this file.

### Asset references

_No image or video thumbnail URLs were extracted._

### External links

| Label | URL |
| --- | --- |
| Contentstack Academy home | `https://www.contentstack.com/academy/` |
| Training instance setup | `https://www.contentstack.com/academy/training-instance` |
| Academy playground (GitHub) | `https://github.com/contentstack/contentstack-academy-playground` |
| Contentstack documentation | `https://www.contentstack.com/docs/` |