zendesk

Zendesk API

Manage customer support tickets, users, organizations, and support operations via the Zendesk Support REST API.

Official docs: https://developer.zendesk.com/api-reference/

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When to Use

Use this skill when you need to:

• Manage tickets - Create, update, search, and close support tickets
• Handle users - Create end-users, agents, and manage user profiles
• Organize accounts - Manage organizations and their members
• Support groups - Create and manage agent groups for ticket routing
• Search data - Find tickets, users, and organizations with powerful search
• Bulk operations - Create or update multiple resources at once
• Automate support - Build integrations and automate workflows
• Track metrics - Access ticket data for reporting and analytics

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Prerequisites

Getting Your API Token

⚠️ Important: You must enable Token Access before creating tokens.

1. Log in to Zendesk Admin Center (admin access required)
2. Navigate to Apps and integrations → APIs → Zendesk API
3. Click the Settings tab
4. Under Token Access, toggle Enabled (this is required!)
5. Click Add API token
6. Enter a description (e.g., "VM0 Integration")
7. Click Save and copy the token immediately (shown only once)

export ZENDESK_EMAIL="your-email@company.com"
export ZENDESK_API_TOKEN="your_api_token"
export ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN="yourcompany"

Find Your Subdomain

Your subdomain is in your Zendesk URL:

https://yourcompany.zendesk.com
         ^^^^^^^^^^^
         subdomain

Verify Token

Test your credentials:

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"' | jq '{count: .count, tickets: .tickets | length}

Expected response: Ticket count and list

Alternative verification (list users):

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/users.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"' | jq '.users[] | {id, name, email, role}

Note: The /users/me.json endpoint may return anonymous user for API token authentication. Use /tickets.json or /users.json to verify token validity.

✅ This skill has been tested and verified with a live Zendesk workspace. All core endpoints work correctly.

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Important: When using $VAR in a command that pipes to another command, wrap the command containing $VAR in bash -c '...'. Due to a Claude Code bug, environment variables are silently cleared when pipes are used directly.

bash -c 'curl -s "https://api.example.com" -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY"' | jq .

How to Use

All examples assume environment variables are set.

Base URL: https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com/api/v2/

Authentication: API Token via -u flag

-u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"

Note: The -u flag automatically handles Base64 encoding for you.

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Core APIs

1. List Tickets

Get all tickets (paginated):

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"' | jq '.tickets[] | {id, subject, status, priority}

With pagination:

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets.json?page=1&per_page=50" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"'

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2. Get Ticket

Retrieve a specific ticket:

TICKET_ID="123"

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets/${TICKET_ID}.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"'

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3. Create Ticket

Create a new support ticket:

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "ticket": {
    "subject": "My printer is on fire!",
    "comment": {
      "body": "The smoke is very colorful."
    },
    "priority": "urgent"
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X POST "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

Create ticket with more details:

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "ticket": {
    "subject": "Need help with account",
    "comment": {
      "body": "I cannot access my account settings."
    },
    "priority": "high",
    "status": "open",
    "type": "problem",
    "tags": ["account", "access"]
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X POST "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

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4. Update Ticket

Update an existing ticket:

TICKET_ID="123"

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "ticket": {
    "status": "solved",
    "comment": {
      "body": "Issue has been resolved. Thank you!",
      "public": true
    }
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X PUT "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets/${TICKET_ID}.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

Change priority and assignee:

TICKET_ID="123"
ASSIGNEE_ID="456"

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "ticket": {
    "priority": "high",
    "assignee_id": ASSIGNEE_ID_PLACEHOLDER
  }
}

Then run:

sed -i '' "s/ASSIGNEE_ID_PLACEHOLDER/${ASSIGNEE_ID}/" /tmp/zendesk_request.json

bash -c 'curl -s -X PUT "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets/${TICKET_ID}.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

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5. Delete Ticket

Permanently delete a ticket:

TICKET_ID="123"

curl -s -X DELETE "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets/${TICKET_ID}.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"

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6. Create Multiple Tickets

Bulk create tickets:

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "tickets": [
    {
      "subject": "Ticket 1",
      "comment": {
        "body": "First ticket"
      }
    },
    {
      "subject": "Ticket 2",
      "comment": {
        "body": "Second ticket"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X POST "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/tickets/create_many.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

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7. List Users

Get all users:

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/users.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"' | jq '.users[] | {id, name, email, role}

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8. Get Current User

Get authenticated user details:

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/users/me.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"'

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9. Create User

Create an end-user:

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "user": {
    "name": "John Customer",
    "email": "john@example.com",
    "role": "end-user"
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X POST "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/users.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

Create an agent:

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "user": {
    "name": "Jane Agent",
    "email": "jane@company.com",
    "role": "agent"
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X POST "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/users.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

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10. Update User

Update user information:

USER_ID="456"

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "user": {
    "name": "Updated Name",
    "phone": "+1234567890"
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X PUT "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/users/${USER_ID}.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

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11. Search Users

Search for users by query:

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/users/search.json?query=john" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"' | jq '.users[] | {id, name, email}

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12. List Organizations

Get all organizations:

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/organizations.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"' | jq '.organizations[] | {id, name, domain_names}

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13. Create Organization

Create a new organization:

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "organization": {
    "name": "Acme Inc",
    "domain_names": ["acme.com", "acmeinc.com"],
    "details": "Important customer"
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X POST "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/organizations.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

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14. Update Organization

Update organization details:

ORG_ID="789"

Write to /tmp/zendesk_request.json:

{
  "organization": {
    "name": "Acme Corporation",
    "notes": "Premium customer since 2020"
  }
}

Then run:

bash -c 'curl -s -X PUT "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/organizations/${ORG_ID}.json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}" -d @/tmp/zendesk_request.json'

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15. List Groups

Get all agent groups:

bash -c 'curl -s "https://${ZENDESK_SUBDOMAIN}.zendesk.com/api/v2/groups.json" -u "${ZENDESK_EMAIL}/token:${ZENDESK_API_TOKEN}"' | jq '.groups[] | {id, name}

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