Top 10 Free APIs with Documentation for Developers in 2024 🔥

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are powerful tools for developers, enabling seamless integration of various features and data into applications. Here are the top 10 free API endpoints you can leverage in your projects, along with their basic documentation:

1. OpenWeatherMap API

What it does: Provides current weather data, forecasts, and historical data for any location.

Endpoint: https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather

• Request Method: GET
• Headers: None required
• Query Parameters:
  • q: City name (e.g., q=London)
  • appid: Your API key
• Sample Request: https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=London&appid=YOUR_API_KEY

Documentation: https://openweathermap.org/api

2. Unsplash API

What it does: Allows you to access a vast library of high-quality images for free.

Endpoint: https://api.unsplash.com/photos

• Request Method: GET
• Headers:
  • Authorization: Client-ID YOUR_ACCESS_KEY
• Query Parameters: Optional for pagination (page, per_page)
• Sample Request: https://api.unsplash.com/photos?per_page=5

Documentation: https://unsplash.com/documentation

3. NewsAPI

What it does: Fetches news articles and headlines from various sources worldwide.

Endpoint: https://newsapi.org/v2/top-headlines

• Request Method: GET
• Headers: None required
• Query Parameters:
  • country: Country code (e.g., country=us)
  • apiKey: Your API key
• Sample Request: https://newsapi.org/v2/top-headlines?country=us&apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY

Documentation: https://newsapi.org/docs

4. TheCatAPI

What it does: Provides random cat images and facts.

Endpoint: https://api.thecatapi.com/v1/images/search

• Request Method: GET
• Headers:
  • x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY
• Query Parameters: Optional (limit, size)
• Sample Request: https://api.thecatapi.com/v1/images/search?limit=1

Documentation: https://thecatapi.com/

5. TheDogAPI

What it does: Supplies random dog images, breeds, and related information.

Endpoint: https://api.thedogapi.com/v1/images/search

• Request Method: GET
• Headers:
  • x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY
• Query Parameters: Optional (limit, size)
• Sample Request: https://api.thedogapi.com/v1/images/search?limit=1

Documentation: https://thedogapi.com/

6. CoinGecko API

What it does: Provides cryptocurrency market data such as prices, volumes, and trends.

Endpoint: https://api.coingecko.com/api/v3/simple/price

• Request Method: GET
• Headers: None required
• Query Parameters:
  • ids: Cryptocurrency IDs (e.g., ids=bitcoin)
  • vs_currencies: Fiat or crypto currency (e.g., vs_currencies=usd)
• Sample Request: https://api.coingecko.com/api/v3/simple/price?ids=bitcoin&vs_currencies=usd

Documentation: https://www.coingecko.com/en/api

7. JSONPlaceholder

What it does: A free online REST API for testing and prototyping.

Endpoint: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts

• Request Method: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
• Headers: None required
• Sample Request: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts

Documentation: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/

8. Open Library API

What it does: Provides access to book metadata, cover images, and search functionality.

Endpoint: https://openlibrary.org/api/books

• Request Method: GET
• Headers: None required
• Query Parameters:
  • bibkeys: Book identifiers (e.g., ISBN:0451526538)
  • format: Response format (e.g., json)
  • jscmd: Data type (e.g., details)
• Sample Request: https://openlibrary.org/api/books?bibkeys=ISBN:0451526538&format=json&jscmd=details

Documentation: https://openlibrary.org/developers/api

9. Pixabay API

What it does: Offers access to high-quality, royalty-free images and videos.

Endpoint: https://pixabay.com/api/

• Request Method: GET
• Headers: None required
• Query Parameters:
  • key: Your API key
  • q: Search term (e.g., q=nature)
  • image_type: Type of image (e.g., image_type=photo)
• Sample Request: https://pixabay.com/api/?key=YOUR_API_KEY&q=flowers&image_type=photo

Documentation: https://pixabay.com/api/docs/

10. Chuck Norris Joke API

What it does: Provides a random Chuck Norris joke with each request.

Endpoint: https://api.chucknorris.io/jokes/random

• Request Method: GET
• Headers: None required
• Query Parameters: None
• Sample Request: https://api.chucknorris.io/jokes/random

Documentation: https://api.chucknorris.io/

Conclusion

These API endpoints provide a variety of features and datasets that can be utilized in your projects for free. Whether you're building a weather app, integrating royalty-free images, or just want to display jokes, these APIs can help kickstart your development. Always refer to their respective documentation for more advanced usage and stay within the terms of use provided by each API.