OpenEnergyPlatform · FlorianK13 · Jan 13, 2026 · Apr 24, 2025 · Apr 24, 2025 · Apr 24, 2025
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ and the versioning aims to respect [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/
 - Limit number of parallel CI jobs
   [#669](https://github.com/OpenEnergyPlatform/open-MaStR/pull/669)
 ### Removed
+- Deprecate and remove Soap API Download and Mirror code
+  [#635](https://github.com/OpenEnergyPlatform/open-MaStR/pull/635)
 
 
 ## [v0.15.0] Turbo parsing with open-MaStR EasterEggspress - 2025-04-19

diff --git a/docs/advanced.md b/docs/advanced.md
@@ -155,14 +155,6 @@ Moreover, the datatypes of different entries are set in the data cleansing proce
 
 If needed, the tables in the database can be obtained as csv files. Those files are created by first merging corresponding tables (e.g all tables that contain information about solar) and then dumping those tables to `.csv` files with the [`to_csv`][open_mastr.Mastr.to_csv] method.
 
-=== "Advantages"
-    * No registration for an API key is needed
-    * Download of the whole dataset is possible
-
-=== "Disadvantages"
-    * No single tables or entries can be downloaded
-    * Download takes long time (you can use the partial download though, see [Getting Started](getting_started.md#bulk-download))
-
 **Note**: By default, existing zip files in `$HOME/.open-MaStR/data/xml_download` are deleted when a new file is
 downloaded. You can change this behavior by setting `keep_old_downloads`=True in
 [`Mastr.download()`][open_mastr.Mastr.download].
@@ -179,12 +171,8 @@ via its API a [registration](https://www.marktstammdatenregister.de/MaStRHilfe/f
 To download data from the MaStR API using the `open-MaStR`, the credentials (MaStR user and token) need to be provided in a certain way. Three options exist:
 
 1. **Credentials file:** 
-    Both, user and token, are stored in plain text in the credentials file.
-    For storing the credentials in the credentials file (plus optionally using keyring for the token) simply instantiate
-    [`MaStRDownload`][open_mastr.soap_api.download.MaStRDownload] once and you get asked for a user name and a token. The
-    information you insert will be used to create the credentials file.
-
-    It is also possible to create the credentials file by hand, using this format:
+    Both, user and token, are stored in plain text in the credentials file. The file is located at 
+    '~/.open-MaStR/config/credentials.cfg'. Fill in your user and token like this:
 
     ```
         [MaStR]
@@ -194,8 +182,6 @@ To download data from the MaStR API using the `open-MaStR`, the credentials (MaS
 
     The `token` should be written in one line, without line breaks.
 
-    The credentials file needs to be stored at: `$HOME/.open-MaStR/config/credentials.cfg`
-
 2. **Credentials file + keyring:** 
     The user is stored in the credentials file, while the token is stored encrypted in the [keyring](https://pypi.org/project/keyring/).
 
@@ -419,33 +405,19 @@ For API calls, models and optional parameters refer to the
     identifier (`EinheitMastrNummer`) and their power plant type (`Einheitentyp`). You can then sort them by power 
     plant type and use the power plant type specific API query to retrieve information about it. <br>
 
-    Cumbersome? <br>
-    Luckily, `open-MaStR` has you covered and provides methods to just query for all units of a power 
-    plant type.    
-
 
 
 
 ### MaStRDownload
 
-The class `MaStRDownload` builds upon methods provided in the class `MaStRAPI`. <br> 
-
-It provides methods to download power plant unit types and additional information 
-for each unit type, such as extended unit data, permit data, chp-specific data, location data 
-or eeg-specific data. <br>
-
-The class handles the querying logic and knows which additional data for each unit type is available 
-and which SOAP service has to be used to query it. 
+!!! warning "MaStRDownload has been removed"
+    In versions > `v0.16.0` the `MaStRDownload` class cannot be used anymore.
 
 
 ### MaStRMirror
 
-The class `MaStRMirror` builds upon methods provided in the class `MaStRDownload`. <br>
-
-The aim of the class has been to mirror the Marktstammdatenregister database and keep it up-to-date.
-Historically, `open-mastr` has been developed before the owner of the dataset, BNetzA, offered the `bulk` download.
-The class can still be used for use-cases where only the most recent changes to a local database are of interest. 
-For downloading the entire MaStR database we recommend the bulk download functionalities by specifying `donwload(method="bulk")`.
+!!! warning "MaStRMirror has been removed"
+    In versions > `v0.16.0` the `MaStRMirror` class cannot be used anymore.
 
 
 
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
diff --git a/docs/data-release-notes.md b/docs/data-release-notes.md
diff --git a/docs/dataset.md b/docs/dataset.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Most unit information is openly accessible and is published under an open data l
 
 For units with a net capacity of less than 30 kW, some location information is restricted from publication. This includes street names, house numbers, parcel designations, and exact coordinates of units. The most detailed location information accessible for all units is the postal code or the municipality.
 
-In our paper titled [Analyzing Data Reliability in Germany's Energy System: A Validation of Unit Locations of the Marktstammdatenregister](https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.10581), we provide further insights into the content and quality of the dataset.
+In our paper titled [Monitoring Germany's Core Energy System Dataset: A Data Quality Analysis of the Marktstammdatenregister](https://doi.org/10.1145/3717413.3717421), we provide further insights into the content and quality of the dataset.
 
 ## Content
 
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ The German Federal Network Agency regularly updates the dataset and adds new tab
 
 ## Difference between `bulk` and `API` dataset
 
-As you may have noticed, we distinguish between `bulk` and `API` datasets. The `bulk` dataset refers to the data obtained from the zipped XML files downloaded from [here](https://www.marktstammdatenregister.de/MaStR/Datendownload) using the [`Mastr.download`][open_mastr.Mastr.download] function. The `API` data is obtained by requesting information via the SOAP-API and the [`soap_api.download.MaStRDownload`][open_mastr.soap_api.download.MaStRDownload] module.
+As you may have noticed, we distinguish between `bulk` and `API` datasets. The `bulk` dataset refers to the data obtained from the zipped XML files downloaded from [here](https://www.marktstammdatenregister.de/MaStR/Datendownload) using the [`Mastr.download`][open_mastr.Mastr.download] function. The `API` data is obtained by requesting information via the SOAP-API and the [`soap_api.download.MaStRAPI`][open_mastr.soap_api.download.MaStRAPI] module.
 
 ??? question "Why is the table structure in the open-mastr database as it is?"
 
     The structure of the database is historically determined by the data retrieved via API. (open-mastr existed before the XML-dump was provided).
-    <br> See [MaStR data model](#Mastr-data-model)
+    <br> See [MaStR data model](#mastr-data-model)
 
 
 ## Tables in the database
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ After downloading the MaStR, you will find a database with a large number of tab
 
 
 ### MaStR data model
-A useful overview of the MaStR data model can be found [here (in german)](https://www.marktstammdatenregister.de/MaStRHilfe/files/webdienst/Objektmodell%20-%20Fachliche%20Ansicht%20V1.2.0.pdf). A translated version using the names from the tables you can find in your local database is presented here: 
+A useful overview of the MaStR data model can be found at the MaStR [help page](https://www.marktstammdatenregister.de/MaStRHilfe/subpages/faq.html). A translated version using the names from the tables you can find in your local database is presented here: 
 
 === "translated image (english)"
     ![Data model of the MaStR](images/DetailAnlagen_english.PNG)

diff --git a/docs/getting_started.md b/docs/getting_started.md
@@ -50,17 +50,9 @@ More detailed information can be found in the section [bulk download](advanced.m
 
 API download
 -----------------------------------
-When using `download(method="API")`, the data is retrieved from the MaStR API. For using the MaStR API, credentials 
-are needed (see [SOAP API download](advanced.md#soap-api-download)).
+!!! warning "API download has been removed"
+    In versions > `v0.16.0` the `download(method="API")` cannot be used anymore. The default behaviour changes `method="API"` to `method="bulk"`. You can still use the basic SOAP API functionalities from the [`MaStRAPI`][open_mastr.soap_api.download.MaStRAPI] class.
 
-```python
-from open_mastr import Mastr
-
-db = Mastr()
-db.download(method='API')
-```
-
-The default settings will save retrieved data into the sqlite database. The function can be used to mirror the open-MaStR database using the SOAP API. Note that the data provided by the bulk download and the SOAP API is similar, but not exactly the same.
 
 ## Accessing the database
 

diff --git a/docs/reference/advanced.md b/docs/reference/advanced.md
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 # Advanced functions to use the MaStR SOAP-API
 
 ::: open_mastr.soap_api.download.MaStRAPI
-::: open_mastr.soap_api.download.MaStRDownload
-::: open_mastr.soap_api.mirror.MaStRMirror
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 open-MaStR - Main file
 
 Bulk: Download XML-Dump and fill in local SQLite database.
-API: Download latest entries using the SOAP-API.
 
 SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
 """
@@ -45,34 +44,6 @@
     "permit",
 ]
 
-# API download
-# for parameter explanation see: https://open-mastr.readthedocs.io/en/latest/advanced/#soap-api-download
-
-api_date = "latest"
-api_chunksize = 10
-api_limit = 10
-api_processes = None
-
-data_api = [
-    "biomass",
-    "combustion",
-    "gsgk",
-    "hydro",
-    "nuclear",
-    "solar",
-    "storage",
-    "wind",
-]
-
-api_data_types = ["unit_data", "eeg_data", "kwk_data", "permit_data"]
-
-api_location_types = [
-    "location_elec_generation",
-    "location_elec_consumption",
-    "location_gas_generation",
-    "location_gas_consumption",
-]
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # instantiate Mastr class
     db = Mastr()
@@ -81,18 +52,6 @@
     # bulk download
     db.download(method="bulk", data=data_bulk, date=bulk_date, bulk_cleansing=True)
 
-    # API download
-    db.download(
-        method="API",
-        data=data_api,
-        date=api_date,
-        api_processes=api_processes,
-        api_limit=api_limit,
-        api_chunksize=api_chunksize,
-        api_data_types=api_data_types,
-        api_location_types=api_location_types,
-    )
-
     ## export to csv
     """
     Technology-related tables are exported as joined, whereas additional tables