API:REST API

The MediaWiki Core REST API lets you interact with MediaWiki by sending HTTP requests to unique URLs. You can use the API to build apps and scripts that search and display wiki pages, get media files, and explore page history.

Data format
REST API endpoints return data in JSON or HTML format. See the API reference for the content type supported by each endpoint.

Methods
The API supports standard HTTP request methods.

URL structure
API endpoints share a consistent URL structure that includes the wiki's base URL, the wiki's install path, and the API version.

Versioning
Designed to provide long-term stability for developers, the MediaWiki REST API is versioned using a global version number in the API path (for example: ). Following the principles of semantic versioning, the version is incremented when an endpoint is changed in a backwards-incompatible way, such as removing a response property or adding a required parameter. Within a major version, the API may change in backwards-compatible ways, such as adding a response property or optional request parameter.

Permissions and authorization
The REST API is designed to be used with the OAuth extension for user authentication and authorization. However, regardless of the authentication method, the API responds to the presence of a logged-in user and returns content appropriate to that user's permissions.

Accessing Wikimedia projects using the REST API
You can use the REST API to access Wikipedia, Wiktionary, and other Wikimedia projects in multiple languages. For a complete list of Wikimedia project URLs, see Meta-Wiki’s site matrix.

Request limit
There is no fixed limit on requests to the API, but your client may be blocked if you endanger the stability of a site. To stay within a safe request rate, wait for each request to finish before sending another request.

Client identification
Wikimedia sites require an HTTP User-Agent header for all API requests. This helps identify your app and ensures that system administrators can contact you if a problem arises. Clients making requests without a User-Agent header may be IP-blocked without notice.

The User-Agent header can include a user page on the local wiki, a user page on a related wiki using interwiki linking syntax, a URL for a relevant external website, or an email address.

If you are calling the API from browser-based JavaScript, you may not be able to influence the User-Agent header, depending on the browser. To work around this, use the   header. See Meta-Wiki’s User-Agent policy for more information.

Authorization
To authorize your app to act on behalf of a user, follow the OAuth developer guide to register your app and make requests using OAuth tokens.

Licensing and trademarks
Wikimedia content is free to reuse within the terms specified by the applicable license. Licenses can differ between projects, so see the individual project for information about licenses and content reuse. For example, English Wikipedia’s text can be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license, while media files on Wikimedia Commons are licensed individually as indicated on the file’s information page. For more information about licensing and trademark use, see Meta-Wiki’s developer app guidelines.

Limitations on Wikidata
While the REST API is available on Wikimedia projects, it is not fully supported by on Wikidata. As of writing, some of the endpoints may return unexpected errors.

Extension endpoints
MediaWiki extensions can surface extension-specific API endpoints using the REST API interface. See the REST API extension interface docs to get started. For documentation for REST API endpoints provided by extensions, see the extension docs. The REST API extension interface is available in MediaWiki 1.34 via $wgEnableRestAPI and in MediaWiki 1.35 and later by default.

About these docs
These docs are written manually based on the. Corrections and additions are welcome! To share a tutorial or app that uses the MediaWiki REST API, add a link to the REST API template.