# Browse connector data sources

Locate databases, schemas, tables, and table structure in a configured connector. Prepare target table names, column mappings, and backfill starting points for structured loading. This page does not create import tasks; after selecting a data source, go to [Import tasks](import-data.md).

## Prerequisites

Prepare credentials that can access the target workspace and a validated connector ID. For service endpoints, authentication, and general request formats, see [Prepare to call an API](../../api-call-basics.md).

If you have not created a connector, first complete [Create and maintain connectors](connectors.md).

## Call sequence

1. List browseable connectors first to confirm that the target connector can be used for structured-data browsing.
2. Use the connector ID to query databases. If the data source contains schemas, query schemas too.
3. Query tables in the selected database or schema, then query target-table structure to confirm the data object to load.
4. Before creating a structured-load task, validate the target table name and generate a column mapping. To backfill historical data, resolve the backfill starting point.

## API operations

### Locate source objects

| What you need to do | API operation | Use it when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| List browseable connectors | [List structured data sources](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/connector-data-sources/list-structured-data-sources.md) | Confirm that a connector can be used for structured data before browsing. |
| Query connector databases | [List databases](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/connector-data-sources/list-databases.md) | Select a source database. |
| Get database schemas | [List schemas](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/connector-data-sources/list-schemas.md) | Obtain available schemas when the source is organized by schema. |
| Query connector tables | [List tables and collections](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/connector-data-sources/list-tables.md) | Locate a source table in a selected database or schema. |
| Query connector table structure | [Get table schema](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/connector-data-sources/get-table-schema.md) | Confirm the field structure of a source table. |

### Prepare structured loading

| What you need to do | API operation | Use it when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Validate a target table name | [Check an export target table name](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/export-tasks/check-target-table-name.md) | Confirm that a target table name is available before creating a task. |
| Generate a column mapping | [Generate export target table column mapping](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/export-tasks/generate-column-mapping.md) | Generate an initial column mapping after selecting source and target tables. |
| Resolve a structured-import backfill start | [Resolve a structured-import backfill start](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/import-tasks/resolve-structured-backfill-start.md) | Confirm an available starting position for historical-data backfill. |

## Confirm the result

Use [List tables and collections](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/connector-data-sources/list-tables.md) and [Get table schema](../../../../reference/api/ai-studio/data-connections/connector-data-sources/get-table-schema.md) to confirm the final source object. Before creating a load task, check the returned target table name, column mapping, and backfill starting point.

## Next steps

- [Import tasks](import-data.md)