# Ledger api vs json http api

**URL:** <https://forum.canton.network/t/ledger-api-vs-json-http-api/4438>\
**Category:** App Development\
**Tags:** daml, ledger-api\
**Created:** [April 27, 2022, 12:45pm UTC](https://forum.canton.network/t/ledger-api-vs-json-http-api/4438 "2022-04-27T12:45:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bbgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f475e1/32.png) [@bbgg](https://forum.canton.network/u/bbgg)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:45pm UTC](https://forum.canton.network/t/ledger-api-vs-json-http-api/4438/1 "2022-04-27T12:45:13Z")

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Hi  
I understand daml provides both ledger api and http json server for client interaction with ledger; I am wondering what are the pros and cons of each and ideal use case for using each.  
I want to build a service that can be used by back end application for fast interaction with daml ledgers

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**Author:** ![nemanja](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.canton.network/nemanja/32/842_2.png) [@nemanja](https://forum.canton.network/u/nemanja)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 1:37pm UTC](https://forum.canton.network/t/ledger-api-vs-json-http-api/4438/2 "2022-04-27T13:37:37Z")

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Hi @bbgg and welcome to the Daml developers forum 👏

Both APIs can be used by a backend app. [One of the main diffs](https://docs.daml.com/json-api/index.html) between the two is that

> The **JSON API** provides a significantly simpler way to interact with a ledger than [the Ledger API](https://docs.daml.com/app-dev/ledger-api.html) by providing _basic active contract set functionality_ :
> 
> - creating contracts,
> - exercising choices on contracts,
> - querying the current active contract set, and
> - retrieving all known parties.