A method of and apparatus for accessing data within an electronic system by an external system to the electronic system. The method includes formatting a searchable database within the electronic system into a directory tree structure, the directory tree structure includes nodes comprising related data and branches comprising links between the nodes. Each related item of data is categorized by a navigation path through the directory tree structure and by one or more parameters, wherein the parameters are specific to the node in which the related data is included. The method accesses one or more nodes within the directory tree structure and obtains data from the one or more nodes by utilizing an applications programming interface. The applications programming interface can access the one or more nodes within the directory tree structure using a query string that defines a navigation path through the directory tree structure to access a specific node within the directory tree structure.