1.5

Table Of Contents
REST Client Programs
You can use the vCloud API with any browser or client application that supports HTTP and SSL.
Any client application that can send HTTP requests over a secure channel by using SSL can be an appropriate
tool for developing RESTful applications with the vCloud API. The examples in this information were
developed using two open-source programs: cURL (http://curl.haxx.se/) and the RESTclient
(http://code.google.com/p/rest-client/).
VMware provides additional SDK products that implement language-specific bindings for the vCloud API,
and include their own HTTP client capability. See
http://communities.vmware.com/community/developer/forums.
About the Schema Reference Downloadable Archive
XML schema reference documentation in HTML format for the vCloud API is available as a downloadable
archive. This archive also includes the schema definition files, and examples XML representations of vCloud
API objects.
To use the reference documentation:
1 Download the compressed archive from
http://www.vmware.com/support/vcd/doc/rest-api-doc-1.5-html.zip
2 Uncompress the archive into any convenient folder.
3 In the folder, open the file index.html in a browser.
How the Schema Reference Documentation is Organized
The schema reference documentation is organized to reflect the division of the vCloud API into user,
administrator, and extension categories. Within each category, you can open a list of elements, types that the
elements extend, and operations that create, retrieve, update, or delete the objects that the elements represent.
User Operations,
Elements, and Types
These operations are performed by all users who have permission to log into
an organization. User elements and user types represent the objects that these
operations manipulate. See Chapter 3, “Exploring a Cloud,” on page 41,
Chapter 4, “Provisioning an Organization with vApps, Templates, and
Media,” on page 53, Chapter 5, “Deploying and Operating vApps,” on
page 75, and Chapter 2, “Hello vCloud: A Simplified RESTful Workflow,” on
page 23.
Administrator
Operations, Elements,
and Types
These operations are performed by organization administrators or system
administrators. Administrator elements and types represent the objects that
these operations manipulate. See Chapter 6, “Creating, Provisioning, and
Managing Organizations,” on page 109.
Extension Operations,
Elements, and Types
These operations are performed by system administrators who need access to
vSphere platform objects from the vCloud API. Extension elements and types
represent the objects that these operations manipulate. See Chapter 7, “Using
vCloud API Extensions to Provision and Manage a Cloud,” on page 161.
Chapter 1 About the VMware vCloud API
VMware, Inc. 19