Threads API Documentation and Sign-Up Released Ahead of June Public Launch
In a significant move towards opening up its platform to developers, Meta‘s Threads, the rising competitor to Twitter/X, has unveiled its developer documentation and a sign-up sheet for interested parties. This move comes after the company initially opened its developer API to select companies for testing in March, with the public launch slated for June.
API Documentation Highlights
The freshly released documentation provides valuable insights into the API’s current limitations, endpoints, and more, enabling developers to kickstart their Threads-integrated apps and projects. Some key aspects include:
- Insights API for tracking post analytics (views, likes, replies, reposts, quotes)
- Endpoints for publishing posts and media, retrieving replies, and troubleshooting tips
- API-published post limits: 250 posts per 24 hours, 1,000 replies (to combat spam and excessive use)
- Image and video specifications for media uploads
- Text post character limit: 500 characters (longer than old Twitter’s 280, but shorter than X’s 25,000 for paid subscribers or 100,000 for articles)
Favored Apps and Fediverse Integration
It remains to be seen whether Meta will prioritize certain types of apps over others. During the API beta testing phase, participants included social tool makers such as Sprinklr, Sprout Social, Social News Desk, Hootsuite, and tech news board Techmeme.
While Threads has started integrating with the wider fediverse—a network of interconnected social networking services like Mastodon—it appears that enabling or disabling fediverse sharing cannot be done through the API itself. Users must still visit their settings within the Threads app to publish to the fediverse.
Ongoing Updates and Developer Feedback
As Meta gathers feedback from developers, the documentation is expected to be updated over time. Interested developers can now request access to build with the new API and provide feedback through a sign-up page. This approach may also help Meta keep track of the apps preparing to go live alongside the API’s public launch in June.
4 Comments
Is Meta finally catching up? Threads’ API could be the game changer we didn’t know we needed.
Meta’s throwing its hat into the ring with Threads – bold move or a shot in the dark? Let’s stir the pot!
Meta’s flexing its tech muscles with Threads–API keys at the ready and docs in hand. Seems like X has some fierce competition brewing!
Meta’s making moves! Watch as Threads steps up to challenge X – the plot thickens.