The VMware vSphere Automation SDK™ is optimized for developing applications that use major vSphere features such as virtual machine management, content libraries and resource deployment, tagging, and managing internal and external security certificates.

The vSphere Automation API follows a resource-based REST architecture with native JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) requests and responses. Clients can use the following technologies to send requests to the vCenter Server Automation API endpoint:

  • Java SDK

  • Python SDK

  • REST

  • PowerCLI™

Other language bindings are available from open-source projects.

The vSphere Automation API currently includes core features such as these:

  • Federated authentication with support for AD FS and Okta.

  • The VMware vSphere Lifecycle Manager™ feature supports desired-state management of hosts in a cluster.

  • The content library feature manages templating, storage, and deployment of virtual machines and vApps.

  • Tagging of vSphere objects with metadata that facilitates filtering and sorting of objects when managing large data centers.

  • Certificate management handles certificates issued by the VMware Certificate Authority (VMCA) and third-party or custom-made certificates to your environment.

  • VMware vSphere Trust Authority™ is a foundational technology that enhances workload security.

VMware implements all major new vSphere features in the Automation API.

The Automation API exposes two protocols: JSON-RPC, which is used by the Automation SDKs, and a simplified JSON protocol used with REST clients. The SDKs are available for download in the vSphere Automation SDKs.

The Automation API service endpoint is

https://{domain}/api/{service}

where {service} is the name of a specific service interface.

For example, you can reach the Session service through the following URL:

https://<vcenter_server_ip_address_or_fqdn>/api/session

For more information about using the vSphere Automation API, see the following publications:

  • VMware vSphere Automation API REST Programming Guide

  • VMware vSphere Automation API Java Programming Guide

  • VMware vSphere Automation API Python Programming Guide

  • VMware PowerCLI User's Guide

  • vSphere Automation REST API Reference 8.0

  • vSphere Automation API Java 8.0

  • vSphere Automation API Python 8.0