Concepts: datasets vs collections

A few terms recur across the API. Getting them straight makes the rest of the docs obvious.

One identifier: the dataset table

There is a single identifier, the dataset table (for example transport_infrastructure_bushaltes). The same table addresses a dataset over both interfaces:

GET /v1/dataset/transport_infrastructure_bushaltes            (REST)
GET /v1/ogc/collections/transport_infrastructure_bushaltes    (OGC)

There is no separate "slug". Learn one identifier and it works everywhere.

Dataset

A dataset is the data artifact, the records, schema, sample, and metadata. It is the thing of value, identified by a stable table name (for example transport_infrastructure_bushaltes). Every dataset Topolab operates has one, including B2B-only datasets that are not sold in the shop.

In the REST API you address a dataset by its table:

GET /v1/dataset/transport_infrastructure_bushaltes
GET /v1/dataset/transport_infrastructure_bushaltes/files/geojson

Product

A product is the commerce wrapper around one or more datasets, price, license, checkout. A dataset has zero or one product. Products matter when you buy; for data access you work with datasets.

Collection (OGC)

In the OGC API, each dataset you can access is exposed as a collection of features. "Collection" is the OGC term for a queryable set of geospatial features; for Topolab it maps to a dataset, and the collectionId is the dataset table. You list collections, then page through their items (features):

GET /v1/ogc/collections
GET /v1/ogc/collections/transport_infrastructure_bushaltes/items

So the same underlying dataset is a dataset in the REST API and a collection in the OGC API. Use whichever interface fits your tooling, REST/SDK for application code, OGC for GIS clients.

How they line up

Concept	What it is	Where you meet it
Dataset	The data artifact (records, schema, metadata)	REST /v1/dataset/*, SDKs
Product	The commerce wrapper (price, license)	Shop / checkout
Collection	A dataset exposed as OGC features	OGC /v1/ogc/collections/*

Free discovery vs paid access

Discovery is free and public; pulling the data costs credits. You can browse, read metadata, and inspect a sample before spending anything.

Free (0 credits, no key)	Paid (credits, X-API-Key)
List GET /v1/dataset/all	Dataset file GET /v1/dataset/:table/files/:format (10)
Metadata GET /v1/dataset/:table	Coordinates GET /v1/dataset/:table/coordinates (15)
Sample GET /v1/dataset/:table/sample/:format	OGC items GET /v1/ogc/collections/:table/items (10)
Themes, industry codes, stats	SQL POST /v1/sql/query (25)

Same data, two ways

The same dataset, transport_infrastructure_bushaltes, is reachable as a REST file or as OGC features. Both cost 10 credits and both need an X-API-Key.

REST, download the whole dataset as a file:

curl -H "X-API-Key: tlb_prod_..." \
  "https://api.topolab.nl/v1/dataset/transport_infrastructure_bushaltes/files/geojson" \
  -o transport_infrastructure_bushaltes.geojson

OGC, query features a page at a time (for GIS clients and spatial filters):

curl -H "X-API-Key: tlb_prod_..." \
  "https://api.topolab.nl/v1/ogc/collections/transport_infrastructure_bushaltes/items?limit=100"

Reach for REST when you want the full artifact in application code; reach for OGC when you want paged, filterable features in a mapping tool.

Next

• Datasets API, work with datasets over REST.
• OGC API, work with the same data as collections.