A build makes a method from a request in plain words. Fous studies the site, writes the method and tests it on real inputs, usually in about a minute.
Start a build
Terminal
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/builds \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "query": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "platform": "crates.io", "visibility": "private" }'JSON
{ "id": "bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7", "status": "building", "kind": "new", "effect": "read", "query": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "asked": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "platform": "crates.io", "events": [], "estimate": { "low_seconds": 52, "high_seconds": 104, "median_seconds": 71, "samples": 100 }, "created_at": "2026-10-23T08:40:02.000Z"}| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
query | What the method should read or do, 5 to 2,000 characters. |
platform | The site, if the query does not name it. |
visibility | Required for a new method: public, or private to your organization. |
input | Values to build with. They become the first test. |
method | A method to change (Change a method). |
input_schema, output_schema, images and connections are in the API reference. Sending the same request again returns the running build.
Follow it
?wait=60 answers when the build ends, or on a new event when after is the number of events you have.
Terminal
curl "https://api.fous.com/v1/builds/bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7?wait=60" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY"JSON
{ "id": "bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7", "status": "ready", "kind": "new", "effect": "read", "query": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "asked": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "platform": "crates.io", "events": [ { "at": "2026-10-23T08:40:21.000Z", "kind": "note", "message": "The search page reads its results from a JSON endpoint that takes the keyword." }, { "at": "2026-10-23T08:40:34.000Z", "kind": "status", "message": "Testing the method with two keywords." } ], "outcome": { "type": "new_method" }, "method": { "id": "mth_01m5kz9a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8j9k", "slug": "crates.io/search_crates" , "name": "Search crates", "description": "Searches crates.io by keyword.", "returns": "name, description, downloads, version", "platform": { "name": "crates.io", "domain": "crates.io" }, "input_schema": { "type": "object", "required": ["query"], "properties": { "query": { "type": "string", "description": "Keyword." } } }, "effect": "read", "auth": { "required": false }, "cost": { "credits": 1 }, "version": 1, "latest_version": 1, "private": true }, "created_at": "2026-10-23T08:40:02.000Z", "completed_at": "2026-10-23T08:41:12.000Z"}| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
building | Still working (202). |
ready | method is ready to run; outcome says what was made. |
requires_auth | Connect an account; the build goes on inside it. |
unsupported | No method could be verified; reason says why. |
Send a message
A message corrects or narrows a running build:
Terminal
curl "https://api.fous.com/v1/builds/bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7/messages" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"text": "Also return each crate’s license."}'JSON
{ "id": "bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7", "status": "building", "kind": "new", "effect": "read", "query": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "asked": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "platform": "crates.io", "events": [ { "at": "2026-10-23T08:40:21.000Z", "kind": "note", "message": "The search page reads its results from a JSON endpoint that takes the keyword." } ], "estimate": { "low_seconds": 52, "high_seconds": 104, "median_seconds": 71, "samples": 100 }, "created_at": "2026-10-23T08:40:02.000Z", "messages": [ { "at": "2026-10-23T08:40:40.000Z", "text": "Also return each crate’s license.", "seen": false } ]}It turns seen: true once the builder reads it. A message sent after the build ended starts a follow-up build.
Methods that change something
Cancel
Terminal
curl -X POST "https://api.fous.com/v1/builds/bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7/cancel" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY"JSON
{ "id": "bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7", "status": "unsupported", "kind": "new", "effect": "read", "query": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "asked": "Search Rust crates by keyword", "platform": "crates.io", "events": [ { "at": "2026-10-23T08:40:21.000Z", "kind": "note", "message": "The search page reads its results from a JSON endpoint that takes the keyword." } ], "reason": "Stopped.", "created_at": "2026-10-23T08:40:02.000Z", "completed_at": "2026-10-23T08:40:45.000Z"}Nothing is charged. A build that already ended answers 409.
List and dismiss
GET /v1/builds lists the 50 newest builds of the past 30 days, with repairs of your methods (kind: "repair"). DELETE hides an ended build; its method stays.
Terminal
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/builds \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY"Terminal
curl -X DELETE "https://api.fous.com/v1/builds/bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY"JSON
{ "id": "bld_01m5kz8x0vb6dp3jq2w4e5r6t7", "dismissed": true }Errors
402 insufficient_credits: your credits do not cover the build (Billing). 422 not_buildable: no website, app or API is involved. Every code is in Errors and limits.