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API Pages vs API Queries in Business Central: When to Use Each

API pages and API queries are two distinct REST API object types in Business Central with different purposes. API pages support full CRUD operations and are best for write operations, while API queries are optimized for read-only access with multi-table joins and server-side aggregation. Understanding when to use each type is critical for performance and integration design.

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post think about IT

Steven Renders · 2026-03-17 · 2,248 words · about 10 min

"For any read-only scenario, the default choice is an API query. Not one option among two, but the default."
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Key points

  • API pages support full CRUD on a single source table, deep insert and webhooks, with related data via subpages and $expand
  • API queries are read-only, join multiple tables in one SQL statement, and aggregate via the Method property with an implicit GROUP BY and SIFT support
  • Property choices such as SystemId as OData key, alphanumeric enum names under schema version 2.0, DelayedInsert and avoiding ODataEDMType affect consumers like Power Automate
  • Default to API queries for read-only scenarios; use API pages for writes, webhooks or deep insert, ideally combining both with separate write and read paths
  • For Power BI, build one focused API query per data domain with DataAccessIntent ReadOnly and LastModifiedOn filtering, then relate them in the semantic model

Quotes

  • “For any read-only scenario, the default choice is an API query. Not one option among two, but the default.” (Establishes the primary design principle for choosing the correct integration pattern for read-only access)
  • “If you design integrations with a clear separation between write and read paths, most performance and complexity problems disappear before they start.” (Emphasizes that proper architectural separation is the key to avoiding performance issues in integration design)

Context

  • Features: CRUD operations, multi-table joins, server-side aggregation, SIFT indexes, DataAccessIntent, schema version 2.0, LastModifiedOn filtering, query folding
  • Versions: 24, 30

Source: think about IT - Steven Renders, community blog. Summary, key points and quotes are derived (CONTENT-NOTICE.md); read the original for the full text.