Migrate from v3
How-to migrate from API v3 to v4.
If you’re coming from Captain Data v3, a lot has changed. We’re switching from a Batch-approach with Runs and Webhooks, to a Real-Time approach. This means when you query the API, you get an instant result without needing to create Workflows.
Here’s what’s changing 👇
Previous Approach (v3)
- Users created multi-step workflows through the UI
- Workflows were triggered by CRON jobs or webhooks
- API calls launched workflows with asynchronous results
New Approach (v4)
- ✅ 1. Launched March 2025: Real-Time API → Get instant results with a single API call
- ✅ 2. Launched May 2025: Asynchronous Processing → Process large batches of data with webhook notifications
- ✅ 3. Launched June 2025: Scheduled Processing → Automate your data processing with configurable schedules (CRON)
Real-Time API Limitations
The real-time API offers improved speed and simplicity, but comes with some constraints:
Real-Time Limitation | What This Means |
---|---|
No Multi-Step Actions | ❌ You cannot chain actions (e.g., “Search → Enrich → Message”) in one call. This logic must be handled in your code. |
No CRON/Scheduling | ❌ You need to implement your own scheduling and retry mechanisms. |
No Queuing | ❌ When rate limits are hit, requests fail immediately rather than being queued. |
Fixed Rate Limits | ✅ You must check your usage via an API endpoint instead of relying on automatic queue management. |
Concurrency Limits | ✅ For LinkedIn-related actions, we limit processing to one request per account to prevent detection. |
Single Input Processing | ✅ Each API call can only process one input, requiring different handling for bulk operations. |
Async Mode
Async Mode provides solutions for several of these limitations:
Real-Time Limitation | Async Mode Solution |
---|---|
No Multi-Step Flows | ❌ Will remain as a limitation |
No Scheduling | ✅ Will support CRON-based scheduling through dedicated Schedule Mode |
No Queuing | ✅ Will automatically queue requests when rate limits are reached |
Fixed Rate Limits | ✅ Will handle batching and time distribution automatically |
Concurrency | ✅ Will enable safe parallel processing |
Single Input | ✅ Will support bulk processing with thousands of records per API call |
Schedule Mode
The Schedule Mode enables automated data processing through configurable CRON schedules, allowing you to set up recurring tasks without manual intervention.
It also allows to postpone an execution or a CRON schedule at a specific date in the future.
Technical Migration Guide to v4
Migration Steps
-
Update API Endpoints
- Replace all v3 endpoints with their v4 equivalents
- Update authentication to use new API key(s)
- Implement proper error handling
-
Refactor Workflow Logic
- Move multi-step logic to your application code
- Implement your own scheduling, if needed
- Add retry mechanisms for failed requests
-
Update Data Processing
- Modify your code to handle single-input processing in case of “live” API calls
- Implement bulk processing logic for multiple records using
async
mode
-
Monitor Usage
- Implement usage tracking using the new API endpoints
- Set up alerts for rate limit thresholds depending on the mode used
- Monitor API response times and success rates