Overview - Parse

Introduction

The Parse API (Lens API) provides access to Lightcast resume and job parsing capabilities, enabling you to extract structured data from unstructured documents. Use the API to transform resumes and job descriptions into machine-readable data for search, analytics, recruitment, and talent intelligence workflows.

The API supports common document formats, including DOC, DOCX, HTML, RTF, PDF, ODT, TXT, WPD, and WPS.

You can use the parsed data in recruitment systems, talent intelligence platforms, and HR data ingestion workflows.

Get API Access Credentials

The Parse API requires security credentials to access protected resources. After signing in, you can find your credentials under Profile > OAuth Settings.

You need the following four credentials to access protected resources in the Parse API:

• Consumer Key
• Consumer Secret
• Parse API Access Token
• Parse API Access Token Secret

Generate Authorization Header

Download the OAuthGeneration library and add it to your application.

Use the OAuthGeneration library to generate the authorization header, as shown in the following examples.

OAuthGeneration oAuth = new OAuthGeneration("WEB_SERVICE_URL", "HTTP_METHOD", "CLIENT_ID", "CLIENT_SECRET", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET");

String oAuthString = oAuth.GetOAuthString();

string oAuthString = OAuthGeneration.OAuth.GetOAuthString("WEB_SERVICE_URL", "HTTP_METHOD", "CLIENT_ID", "CLIENT_SECRET", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET");

$oAuth = new OAuthGeneration("WEB_SERVICE_URL", "HTTP_METHOD", "CLIENT_ID", "CLIENT_SECRET", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET");

$oAuthString = $oAuth->GetOAuthString();

oAuth = OAuthGeneration("WEB_SERVICE_URL", "HTTP_METHOD", "CLIENT_ID", "CLIENT_SECRET", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN", "API_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET")

oAuthString = oAuth.GetOAuthString()

Authentication

API Authentication Using OAuth 1.0

Every API call is authenticated using the OAuth 1.0 standard. Each HTTP request must include an OAuth authorization header using the authentication information provided by Lightcast.

The OAuth Consumer Key (oauth_consumer_key) maps to a client, while the OAuth Token (oauth_token) maps to the API being accessed.

Requests are scoped to the client identified by the OAuth Consumer Key. For example, a GETrequest to a URI returns results associated with the client specified by the OAuth Consumer Key.

Lightcast supports the following OAuth signature methods:

• HMAC-SHA1
• RSA-SHA1

The PLAINTEXT signature method is not supported.

Configure Request and Response

To use the Parse API, prepare the request data in the format required by the endpoint.

The API accepts both XML and JSON request data.

Use the Content-Type header in the HTTP request to specify the format of the request data. Use the Accept header to specify the format of the response.

The API can return either XML or JSON formatted responses based on the Accept header.

Use the following media types:

• application/xml for XML
• application/json for JSON

Request Parameters

Send an HTTP request to the appropriate Parse endpoint with the following information:

• Authorization header
• Content-Type and Accept headers
• Endpoint URL
• Request data

Download the LensApiClient library and add it to your application.

You can use the LensApiClient library to send requests to the API as follows:

LensApiClient apiClient = new LensApiClient();

String response = apiClient.sendLensApiRequest("WEB_SERVICE_URL", "HTTP_METHOD", oAuthString, "ContentType", "AcceptType", "REQUEST_BODY");

Response Parameters

Status Code Summary

Next Steps

Download the sample code from here.

Before running the sample, make sure the following values are configured: