Wikidata

API

Collaborative open knowledge base API by Wikimedia Foundation

Overview

The Wikidata API provides programmatic access to a collaboratively edited, multilingual knowledge base. It offers endpoints for retrieving entity details (via QIDs), labels, descriptions, structured claims, and revisions. Supports JSON responses and includes a SPARQL endpoint for advanced semantic queries. Use cases include integrating structured data into apps, enhancing Wikipedia content, academic research, data analysis, and building knowledge visualization tools. Adheres to MediaWiki API conventions, enabling actions like search and cross-Wikimedia project queries.

Example Integration (JavaScript)

script.js JS


fetch('https://www.wikidata.org/w/api.php?action=help')
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

Key Features

RESTful API
JSON Responses
SPARQL Endpoint
No Auth Required (Most Operations)
Collaborative Data
Linked Data Support

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Wikidata free to use?

Yes, Wikidata API and its data are free for all use cases (commercial and non-commercial) under the CC0 license for data and MediaWiki API terms of service.

? Does it require an API Key?

No, most operations do not require an API key. Unauthenticated requests have rate limits, while authenticated requests (via MediaWiki accounts) may get higher limits.

? What is the response format?

The API primarily returns JSON responses. Some MediaWiki API actions also support XML, but JSON is the standard for most Wikidata-specific operations.

Top Alternatives

DBpedia Search Google

Wikibase Instances Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Free

Category Open Data

Platform Public API

Pros

⊕ Free to Use
⊕ Large Structured Dataset
⊕ Community-Maintained
⊕ Multilingual Support
⊕ Integrates with Wikimedia Projects

Cons

⊖ Rate Limits for Unauthenticated Requests
⊖ Steep Learning Curve for SPARQL
⊖ Evolving/Incomplete Data in Some Areas
⊖ MediaWiki API Syntax Complexity