Using Matomo with third party data tools

A common use case is to connect Matomo to other software.

A quick overview first. Data flows out of Matomo by three possible routes, depending on the destination. (1) Some software, such as Looker Studio, ingests data from a spreadsheet which in turn can be sync'd to Matomo. (2) Other software, gets data by making requests to the API. (3) A third option to send the data is to make queries directly to the SQL database of Matomo. Read more about this overview here: https://matomo.org/guide/apis/export-data-to-other-tools/

The API is a good way - maybe the best. It's secure, it's maintainable, it has a nearly 1:1 correspondance with the widgets/dashboards/reports already visible in the Matomo interface.

How to get started with the API:
1) The dashboard of your Matomo instance can build examples of many of the API calls. I usually use these as a stub or starting point. Go to Dashboard >> ⚙️ >> Platform >> API. Then find a method and click on JSON, XML, CSV, et al The most important API method for your purpose will probably be "Module Live" (scroll down on the page; there's hundreds of API calls to scroll through!)
2) Add the further details of the call using the syntax guide: https://developer.matomo.org/api-reference/reporting-api
3) Go to your third-party software settings and add the API call. You can follow Part 1, here, generally https://matomo.org/faq/how-to/faq_24536/ And the 3rd party software docs will help.