The easiest way to call the KMIP API is to use the cosmian Command Line Interface or one of the Eviden cloudproof libraries which provide wrapper calls in the corresponding language.

Without the use of a library, the client must build the JSON TTLV messages from an Operation as described in the KMIP 2.1 specification, and issue an HTTP POST call to the /kmip/2_1 endpoint of the server.

Multiple operations can be sent in a single call using the Messages API .

!!!info "Easily building JSON TTLV messages"

Building JSON TTLV messages is a complex task and the easiest way to get started is to use
the [KMS CLI](../../kms_clients/index.md) in `JSON mode` mode to print the corresponding request and response messages.

The `JSON mode` is activated by passing the `--kms-print-json` flag to the `cosmian` command.
See the [JSON mode example](#json-mode-example) below.

To send multiple requests in a single call, se the Messages API .

Sample JSON TTLV messages

Please refer to the various operations pages for sample JSON TTLV messages.

JSON mode example

This creates a (default AES 256) symmetric key which will be tagged with the string myKey.

ckms --kms-print-json sym keys create --tag myKey

The CLI will then show the JSON TTLV requests and response:

2024-09-13T13:39:20.001395Z  INFO ThreadId(01) cosmian_kms_client::kms_rest_client:  ==>
{
  "tag": "Create",
  "type": "Structure",
  "value": [
    {
      "tag": "ObjectType",
      "type": "Enumeration",
      "value": "SymmetricKey"
    },
    {
      "tag": "Attributes",
      "type": "Structure",
      "value": [
        {
          "tag": "CryptographicAlgorithm",
          "type": "Enumeration",
          "value": "AES"
        },
        {
          "tag": "CryptographicLength",
          "type": "Integer",
          "value": 256
        },
        {
          "tag": "CryptographicUsageMask",
          "type": "Integer",
          "value": 2108
        },
        {
          "tag": "KeyFormatType",
          "type": "Enumeration",
          "value": "TransparentSymmetricKey"
        },
        {
          "tag": "ObjectType",
          "type": "Enumeration",
          "value": "SymmetricKey"
        },
        {
          "tag": "VendorAttributes",
          "type": "Structure",
          "value": [
            {
              "tag": "VendorAttributes",
              "type": "Structure",
              "value": [
                {
                  "tag": "VendorIdentification",
                  "type": "TextString",
                  "value": "cosmian"
                },
                {
                  "tag": "AttributeName",
                  "type": "TextString",
                  "value": "tag"
                },
                {
                  "tag": "AttributeValue",
                  "type": "ByteString",
                  "value": "5B226D794B6579225D"
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
2024-09-13T13:39:20.018203Z  INFO ThreadId(01) cosmian_kms_client::kms_rest_client <==
{
  "tag": "CreateResponse",
  "type": "Structure",
  "value": [
    {
      "tag": "ObjectType",
      "type": "Enumeration",
      "value": "SymmetricKey"
    },
    {
      "tag": "UniqueIdentifier",
      "type": "TextString",
      "value": "925f2175-0676-4785-b9d9-61fff30771f3"
    }
  ]
}
The symmetric key was successfully generated.
          Unique identifier: 925f2175-0676-4785-b9d9-61fff30771f3

  Tags:
    - myKey