# Accessing Ignition tags from external micro service **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Tags:** ignition81\ **Created:** [July 14, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404 "2023-07-14T18:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jarrid\_Fraley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@Jarrid\_Fraley](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Jarrid_Fraley)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/1 "2023-07-14T18:06:23Z")
I am looking for some guidance on how to access Ignition tags and extract the information using python from a external micro service running in a container. Any guidance would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Jarrid\_Fraley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@Jarrid\_Fraley](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Jarrid_Fraley)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/2 "2023-07-14T18:07:19Z")
Similar to the ignition node in node red ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/3 "2023-07-14T18:09:17Z")
The easiest option is the Webdev module, which lets you define web API routes that will be run by Ignition: [Web Dev - Ignition User Manual 8.1 - Ignition Documentation](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Web+Dev#WebDev-PythonResources) Then it's a "simple" HTTP call from whatever external program you want. > **[Python In Ignition](https://support.inductiveautomation.com/hc/en-us/articles/360056397252-Python-In-Ignition)** > > An Advanced Primer — Python, Libraries, Versions, and the Future >   > Background > Ignition provides users with the ability to do Python scripting as a core part of the Ignition platform. Ignition and I... ---
**Author:** ![Jarrid\_Fraley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@Jarrid\_Fraley](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Jarrid_Fraley)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/4 "2023-07-14T18:13:14Z")
Is there an alternative rather than using API? ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/5 "2023-07-14T18:18:58Z")
Another option is to find an OPC UA client library for Python and connect it to Ignition's OPC UA server. Significantly more involved than making HTTP calls to a WebDev endpoint. ---
**Author:** ![Jarrid\_Fraley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@Jarrid\_Fraley](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Jarrid_Fraley)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/6 "2023-07-14T18:19:34Z")
How would I extract memory tags using OPC UA though? ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/7 "2023-07-14T18:20:12Z")
Ignition's OPC UA server has an option you can enable that exposes all of Ignition's tags over the OPC UA interface. ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/8 "2023-07-14T18:20:19Z")
[https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Ignition's+OPC+UA+Server](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Ignition's+OPC+UA+Server) 'Expose Tag Providers' ---
**Author:** ![Jarrid\_Fraley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@Jarrid\_Fraley](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Jarrid_Fraley)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/accessing-ignition-tags-from-external-micro-service/76404/9 "2023-07-14T18:28:09Z")
Perfect! Thank you so much for your help!