## Table of Contents

- [url](#url)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example)
- [URL requirements](#url-requirements)
- [URL encoding](#url-encoding)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example-1)
- [Protocol handling](#protocol-handling)
- [Common URL patterns](#common-url-patterns)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example-2)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example-2)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example-2)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example-2)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example-2)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example-2)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example-2)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example-3)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example-3)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example-3)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example-3)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example-3)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example-3)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example-3)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example-4)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example-4)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example-4)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example-4)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example-4)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example-4)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example-4)

---

[](https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview)

[API](https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview)

[](https://microlink.io/docs/guides)

GUIDES

[](https://microlink.io/docs/mql/getting-started/overview)

MQL

[](https://microlink.io/docs/sdk/getting-started/overview)

SDK

[](https://microlink.io/docs/cards/getting-started/overview)

CARDS

## url

**required**

Type: \<string\>

The target URL for getting information based on the content.

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://kikobeats.com' URL:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://kikobeats.com
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://kikobeats.com"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://kikobeats.com')
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://kikobeats.com"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://kikobeats.com"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://kikobeats.com"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://kikobeats.com")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://kikobeats.com')
```

The url parameter is the only required parameter for any Microlink API request.

## URL requirements

The URL provided must be:

- **Publicly reachable** by the service (no localhost or private IPs)

- **Well-formed** following the [](https://nodejs.org/api/url.html#url_the_whatwg_url_api)

  WHATWG URL

  standard

- **Including protocol** (http:// or https://)

If you want to extract content behind a login panel, the URL provided should contain the authentication step as part of the query string, or provide the authentication credentials using [headers](https://microlink.io/docs/api/parameters/headers).

## URL encoding

If the URL provided has query string parameters, they should be properly escaped to not interfere with the Microlink API query parameters.

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink' URL:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink')
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://kikobeats.com?ref=microlink')
```

URLs with query parameters are automatically encoded.

Using [MQL](https://microlink.io/docs/mql/getting-started/overview) or [Microlink CLI](https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/cli) will escape the URL properly. Otherwise, you need to escape it using [](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/encodeURIComponent)

[encodeURIComponent](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/encodeURIComponent)

or equivalent.

## Protocol handling

The protocol matters: If the target URL has relative URLs inside (e.g., images or videos), then the URL provided will be used to resolve relative URLs into absolute.

This means that if you provide HTTPS, then all relative URLs will be resolved under SSL.

## Common URL patterns

Here are examples of different URL types you can process:

**Standard websites**

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://github.com/microlinkhq' URL:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://github.com/microlinkhq
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://github.com/microlinkhq"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://github.com/microlinkhq')
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://github.com/microlinkhq"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://github.com/microlinkhq"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://github.com/microlinkhq"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://github.com/microlinkhq")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://github.com/microlinkhq')
```

**URLs with fragments**

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements' URL:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements')
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview#url-requirements')
```

**Internationalized domain names**

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://例え.jp' URL:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://例え.jp
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://例え.jp"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://例え.jp')
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://例え.jp"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://例え.jp"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://例え.jp"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://例え.jp")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://例え.jp')
```

If the URL cannot be processed, you'll receive one of these error codes:

- **EINVALURL**: The URL format is invalid
- **EFORBIDDENURL**: The URL resolves to a forbidden IP range
- **EMAXREDIRECTS**: Too many redirects (more than 10 hops)
- **ETIMEOUT**: The URL took too long to respond

See [error codes](https://microlink.io/docs/api/basics/error-codes) for the complete list.