# Connecting to REST > The Sisense REST connector is a certified connector that allows you to import data from the REST API into Sisense via the Sisense generic JDBC connector. The REST connector offers the most natural way to connect to REST data, and provides additional powerful features. *Source: https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/connecting-to-rest.htm* --- Last updated: June 10, 2026 | | | | --- | --- | | [Tier](https://www.sisense.com/pricing/#pricing) | [Deployment](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/introduction-to-sisense-cloud-managed-services.md#ComparisonofManagedCloudandSelfHosted) | | Launch     Grow    Enterprise | Cloud     On-Prem | The Sisense REST connector is a certified connector that allows you to import data from the REST API into Sisense via the Sisense generic JDBC connector. The REST connector offers the most natural way to connect to REST data, and provides additional powerful features. The support for the connector is provided by Sisense and will be assisted by the certification partner's support, if needed. For any support issues or additional functionality requests, contact your Sisense representative or open a request through the Sisense [Help Center](https://www.sisense.com/support/). For advanced inquiries specific to driver functionality, you can also contact the certification partner's support directly via [support@cdata.com](http://oemsupport@cdata.com/). The connector models REST APIs as bidirectional database tables and XML/JSON files as read-only views (local files, files stored on popular cloud services, and FTP servers). After you have downloaded the driver, you can connect through a connection string in Sisense. The connection string is used to authenticate users who want to connect to REST. Once you have connected to REST, you can import a variety of tables from your REST data. This page describes how to download the REST driver and deploy it, how to connect to REST with a connection string, provides information about the REST data model, and more. **Note:** For the list of supported connectors, see [Data Source Connectors](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/introduction-to-data-sources.md). ## Downloading the REST JDBC Driver You can download the REST JDBC driver [here](https://www.cdata.com/solutions/bi/sisense). For a short video about downloading the driver, see below (the video uses the Box driver as an example). **Note:** - The driver is certified for Sisense v7.2 and above. - Sisense v7.4 and above: Click the above link to download a ready-to-use driver. - Sisense prior to v7.4: Click the above link to download a 30-days free-trial of the driver. Contact Sisense for the full license version. ## Deploying the REST JDBC Driver **Prerequisite**: The install file (setup.jar) is a Java Application that requires Java 6 (J2SE) or above to run. To install the driver, double-click the setup.jar file and proceed with the instructions in the installation wizard. Depending on the machine on which you are accessing the Sisense application, install the driver in one of the following locations: - **When Sisense is installed on your local machine**, deploy the driver locally. - **For a non-local installation** (when accessing Sisense on a remote Windows server, or accessing the Sisense hosted cloud environment), select one of the below methods: - Deploy the driver on the Sisense server machine, and then perform all the authentication on the server machine. - Deploy the driver on your local machine (or any other machine, as convenient), perform all the authentication on that machine, and then copy the JAR file to the remote server. For detailed instructions, see [Copying a CData JAR File Installed Locally to a Remote Server](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/copying-a-cdata-jar-file-installed-locally-to-a-remote-server.md). - If you are on a Linux deployment, deploy the custom JDBC connector on your local machine (or any other machine), perform all the authentication on that machine, and then copy the JAR file to this location: `/opt/sisense/storage/connectors/jdbcdrivers/driver_name_folder`. For detailed instructions, see [Deploying a Custom Connector](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/deploying-a-custom-connector.md). For a short video of the process, see below (the video uses the Box driver as an example). ### JAVA Troubleshooting If you do not have Java 6 installed, you may download it from [here](https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/index.html). If your system is not set up to run Java applications, execute the following command: java -jar setup.jar . ## Connecting to REST After you have installed the REST connector, you can import your data from REST by connecting with a connection string. The connection string contains your REST user credentials. REST uses the connection string to authenticate your account and allow you to extract the relevant data for your account. **To create the connection string:** 1. On the server, create a writable directory (e.g. `/opt/sisense/storage/tmp`), and set the connection string parameter `Location=`. **Tip:** This can be done in the file management UI or by contacting Sisense Support. 2. Open the lib directory for the connector. The default path is: `C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for <Driver Name> 2019\lib`. 3. Double-click the JAR file in the lib directory. ![8 5lib folderthumb](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/8-5lib-folderthumb030013.png) Alternatively, to open the JAR file from the command line, enter the following command in the command prompt (change the driver name to your driver): `cd C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for <Driver Name> 2019\lib` Press Enter and then enter the following command (change the driver name to your driver): `"C:\Program Files\Sisense\infra\jre\bin\java.exe" -jar cdata.jdbc.<Driver Name>.jar` Press **Enter** again. **Example:** ![8 5jar command linethumb](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/8-5jar-command-linethumb030013.png) The Connection String Builder opens. 4. To connect with the driver's data modeling defaults, enter the values for the following connection properties (click in the Value column to enter a value or to modify an existing value): - **URL**: Set the URL of the REST data source. - **Format**: (Optional) Set to XML or JSON. - **DataModel**: Set to the data model to use when parsing JSON or XML documents and generating the metadata: - **Document (default)**: Model a top-level, document view of your REST data. The data provider returns nested elements as aggregates of data. - **FlattenedDocuments**: Implicitly join nested documents and their parents into a single table. - **Relational**: Return individual, related tables from hierarchical data. The tables contain a primary key and a foreign key that links to the parent document. 5. If the Connection String Builder has a **InitiateOAuth** property, set it to OFF to avoid entering the OAuth Authorization process. 6. Press **Enter** to add all the connection properties to the connection string. **Example:** A sample connection string: `jdbc:rest:DataModel=Relational;URI=C:\people.xml;Format=XML;` 7. Click **Test Connection**. A new browser tab opens where you need to log in to your application in order to grant access. (Each application will display a different window and messages.) Close the **Authorization Successful!** message that opens. 8. Go back to the **Connection String Builder** dialog, and click **OK** in the **Test Connection Successful** message to close it. 9. Click **Copy to Clipboard** to obtain the connection string. For a short video of the process, see below (the video uses the XML driver as an example): You are required to complete the above instructions only on first connect, and again when your credentials to the application change. To help you create a connection string and test the connection, see [Connection String Builder for Certified Connectors](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/connection-string-builder-for-certified-connectors.md). If you have any issues connecting to your data source, see [Troubleshooting JDBC Data Connectors](https://support.sisense.com/kb/en/article/troubleshooting-jdbc-data-connectors-8031775) . ## Adding REST Tables to your ElastiCube 1. Open Sisense. (For a non-local installation, open Sisense on the hosted cloud environment.) 2. In the Data page, open an ElastiCube or create a new ElastiCube. 3. In the Model Editor, click ![+data](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/+Data.png). The Add Data dialog box is displayed. ![8 5JDBC1thumb](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/8-5JDBC1thumb030032_1037x543.png) 4. Click **Generic JDBC** to open the JDBC settings. ![JDBC settings(29)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/JDBC_settings(29)_1032x539.png) 5. In **Connection String**, paste the string you obtained above. 6. In **JDBC JARs Folder**, enter the name of the directory where the REST JAR file is located (see [Deploying the REST JDBC Driver](#Deployin)). 7. In **Driver's Class Name**, enter the following class name: `cdata.jdbc.rest.RESTDriver`. 8. If you wish to secure the connection, enter your REST credentials in **User Name** and **Password** and remove the relevant properties from the connection string. Otherwise, leave these fields blank. 9. Click **Next**. A list of tables in the database are displayed. All tables and views associated with the database will appear in a new window. 10. From the Tables list, select the relevant table or view you want to work with. You can click next to the relevant table or click **Preview** to see a preview of the data inside it. 11. (Optional) Click **+** to customize the data you want to import with SQL. See [Importing Data with Custom Queries](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/importing-data-with-custom-queries.md) for more information. 12. After you have selected all the relevant tables, click **Done**. The tables are added to your data model. For a short video of the process, see below (the video uses the XML driver as an example). ## REST Connector: Additional Resources For the full documentation set for the REST connector, click [here](http://cdn.cdata.com/help/DWE/jdbc/default.htm). For connection string options, click [here](http://cdn.cdata.com/help/DWE/jdbc/Connection.htm).