openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  title: NodeBB Read API
  version: 3.0.0
  contact:
    email: support@nodebb.org
  license:
    name: GPL-3.0
  description: >-
    # Overview

    The following document outlines every Read API route available via NodeBB. Unlike the write API, the v1.x API was coded organically, and is **not** strictly RESTful. These shortcomings will be addressed in time as the APIs mature.

    ## Shortcomings

    The Read API is named because its primary use is by NodeBB itself when navigating between pages. Therefore, the routes almost universally always follow the same path as actual pages on NodeBB itself. There are also a small number of non-`GET` routes, which do not make sense in a Read API. These will be merged into the Write API in time.

    ## Authentication

    There are a multitude of ways to authenticate with the Read API.

    ### Cookie Authentication

    By default, the API will attempt to find a valid session in the browser's cookies. A valid login session is required for API calls that pertain to operations involving a logged-in user. For example, `/api/unread` is a route showing unread topics, and is not accessible by guest users.

    Most data transfer utilities like cURL will allow you to construct something like a cookie, to be sent alongside the request, to function much like a browser cookie. This should work with the API.

    ### Bearer Authentication

    Both the Read API and Write API offer bearer authentication, as administered through the administration panel.

      * Up until v1.14.3, this is provided by [`nodebb-plugin-write-api`](https://github.com/NodeBB/nodebb-plugin-write-api). The Write API plugin needs to be installed before authentication via bearer token is enabled on routes provided by the Read API.
      * From NodeBB v1.15.0 onwards, the Write API is available in core, and bearer authentication is available out-of-the-box

    In both cases, a bearer token is issued in the NodeBB admin panel in order to grant access to the API.

    There are two types of tokens:
      * A *user token* is associated with a specific uid, and all calls made are made in the name of that user
      * A *master token* is not associated with any specific uid, though a `_uid` parameter is required in the request, and then all calls are made in the name of *that* user.
        This is the only difference between the two tokens. A master token with `_uid` set to a non-administrator will not allow you to make administrative calls.
tags:
  - name: home
    description: Routes used at the forum index only
  - name: categories
    description: Category hierarchy and navigation
  - name: topics
  - name: posts
  - name: users
  - name: authentication
    description: User authentication (e.g. login/registration)
  - name: groups
    description: User groups
  - name: admin
    description: Administrative Control Panel (ACP) routing
  - name: emails
    description: Email utilities
  - name: flags
    description: Reporting of content by users
  - name: notifications
    description: Real-time notifications
  - name: search
  - name: tags
    description: Disparate method of categorizing topics
  - name: shorthand
    description: Convenience and utility routes for accessing other part of the API
  - name: other
    description: Other one-off routes that do not fit in a section of their own
paths:
  /api/:
    $ref: 'read/index.yaml'
  /api/admin:
    $ref: 'read/admin.yaml'
  /api/admin/dashboard:
    $ref: 'read/admin/dashboard.yaml'
  /api/admin/dashboard/logins:
    $ref: 'read/admin/dashboard/logins.yaml'
  /api/admin/dashboard/users:
    $ref: 'read/admin/dashboard/users.yaml'
  /api/admin/dashboard/topics:
    $ref: 'read/admin/dashboard/topics.yaml'
  /api/admin/dashboard/searches:
    $ref: 'read/admin/dashboard/searches.yaml'
  "/api/admin/settings/{term}":
    $ref: 'read/admin/settings/term.yaml'
  /api/admin/settings/navigation:
    $ref: 'read/admin/settings/navigation.yaml'
  /api/admin/settings/api:
    $ref: 'read/admin/settings/api.yaml'
  /api/admin/settings/email:
    $ref: 'read/admin/settings/email.yaml'
  /api/admin/settings/user:
    $ref: 'read/admin/settings/user.yaml'
  /api/admin/settings/post:
    $ref: 'read/admin/settings/post.yaml'
  /api/admin/settings/advanced:
    $ref: 'read/admin/settings/advanced.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/categories:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/categories.yaml'
  "/api/admin/manage/categories/{category_id}":
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/categories/category_id.yaml'
  "/api/admin/manage/categories/{category_id}/analytics":
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/categories/category_id/analytics.yaml'
  "/api/admin/manage/privileges/{cid}":
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/privileges/cid.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/tags:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/tags.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/users:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/users.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/registration:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/registration.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/admins-mods:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/admins-mods.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/groups:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/groups.yaml'
  "/api/admin/manage/groups/{name}":
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/groups/name.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/uploads:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/uploads.yaml'
  /api/admin/manage/digest:
    $ref: 'read/admin/manage/digest.yaml'
  "/api/admin/appearance/{term}":
    $ref: 'read/admin/appearance/term.yaml'
  /api/admin/extend/plugins:
    $ref: 'read/admin/extend/plugins.yaml'
  /api/admin/extend/widgets:
    $ref: 'read/admin/extend/widgets.yaml'
  /api/admin/extend/rewards:
    $ref: 'read/admin/extend/rewards.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/database:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/database.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/events:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/events.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/hooks:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/hooks.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/logs:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/logs.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/errors:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/errors.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/errors/export:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/errors/export.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/cache:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/cache.yaml'
  /api/admin/advanced/cache/dump:
    $ref: 'read/admin/advanced/cache/dump.yaml'
  /api/admin/development/logger:
    $ref: 'read/admin/development/logger.yaml'
  /api/admin/development/info:
    $ref: 'read/admin/development/info.yaml'
  /api/admin/users/csv:
    $ref: 'read/admin/users/csv.yaml'
  /api/admin/groups/{groupname}/csv:
    $ref: 'read/admin/groups/groupname/csv.yaml'
  /api/admin/analytics:
    $ref: 'read/admin/analytics.yaml'
  /api/admin/category/uploadpicture:
    $ref: 'read/admin/category/uploadpicture.yaml'
  /api/admin/uploadfavicon:
    $ref: 'read/admin/uploadfavicon.yaml'
  /api/admin/uploadTouchIcon:
    $ref: 'read/admin/uploadTouchIcon.yaml'
  /api/admin/uploadMaskableIcon:
    $ref: 'read/admin/uploadMaskableIcon.yaml'
  /api/admin/uploadlogo:
    $ref: 'read/admin/uploadlogo.yaml'
  /api/admin/uploadOgImage:
    $ref: 'read/admin/uploadOgImage.yaml'
  /api/admin/upload/file:
    $ref: 'read/admin/upload/file.yaml'
  /api/admin/uploadDefaultAvatar:
    $ref: 'read/admin/uploadDefaultAvatar.yaml'
  /api/config:
    $ref: 'read/config.yaml'
  /api/users:
    $ref: 'read/users.yaml'
  "/api/user/uid/{uid}":
    $ref: 'read/user/uid/uid.yaml'
  "/api/user/username/{username}":
    $ref: 'read/user/username/username.yaml'
  "/api/user/email/{email}":
    $ref: 'read/user/email/email.yaml'
  /api/categories:
    $ref: 'read/categories.yaml'
  "/api/categories/{cid}/moderators":
    $ref: 'read/categories/cid/moderators.yaml'
  "/api/topic/{topic_id}/{slug}":
    $ref: 'read/topic/topic_id.yaml'
  "/api/topic/{topic_id}/{slug}/{post_index}":
    $ref: 'read/topic/topic_id.yaml'
  /api/recent:
    $ref: 'read/recent.yaml'
  "/api/recent/posts/{term}":
    $ref: 'read/recent/posts/term.yaml'
  /api/unread:
    $ref: 'read/unread.yaml'
  /api/unread/total:
    $ref: 'read/unread/total.yaml'
  "/api/topic/teaser/{topic_id}":
    $ref: 'read/topic/teaser/topic_id.yaml'
  "/api/topic/pagination/{topic_id}":
    $ref: 'read/topic/pagination/topic_id.yaml'
  /api/post/upload:
    $ref: 'read/post/upload.yaml'
  /api/topic/thumb/upload:
    $ref: 'read/topic/thumb/upload.yaml'
  /api/login:
    $ref: 'read/login.yaml'
  /api/register:
    $ref: 'read/register.yaml'
  /api/register/complete:
    $ref: 'read/register/complete.yaml'
  "/api/confirm/{code}":
    $ref: 'read/confirm/code.yaml'
  /api/tos:
    $ref: 'read/tos.yaml'
  /api/search:
    $ref: 'read/search.yaml'
  "/api/reset":
    $ref: 'read/reset.yaml'
  "/api/reset/{code}":
    $ref: 'read/reset/code.yaml'
  "/api/email/unsubscribe/{token}":
    $ref: 'read/email/unsubscribe/token.yaml'
  "/api/post/{pid}":
    $ref: 'read/post/pid.yaml'
  /api/flags:
    $ref: 'read/flags.yaml'
  "/api/flags/{flagId}":
    $ref: 'read/flags/flagId.yaml'
  /api/post-queue:
    $ref: 'read/post-queue.yaml'
  "/api/post-queue/{id}":
    $ref: 'read/post-queue.yaml'
  /api/ip-blacklist:
    $ref: 'read/ip-blacklist.yaml'
  /api/registration-queue:
    $ref: 'read/registration-queue.yaml'
  /api/tags:
    $ref: 'read/tags.yaml'
  "/api/tags/{tag}":
    $ref: 'read/tags/tag.yaml'
  /api/popular:
    $ref: 'read/popular.yaml'
  /api/top:
    $ref: 'read/top.yaml'
  "/api/category/{category_id}/{slug}":
    $ref: 'read/category/category_id.yaml'
  "/api/category/{category_id}/{slug}/{topic_index}":
    $ref: 'read/category/category_id.yaml'
  /api/self:
    $ref: 'read/self.yaml'
  /api/me:
    $ref: 'read/me.yaml'
  /api/me/*:
    $ref: 'read/me.yaml'
  "/api/uid/{uid*}":
    $ref: 'read/uid/uid.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/following":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/following.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/followers":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/followers.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/categories":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/categories.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/posts":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/posts.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/topics":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/topics.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/best":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/best.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/controversial":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/controversial.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/groups":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/groups.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/bookmarks":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/bookmarks.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/watched":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/watched.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/ignored":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/ignored.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/upvoted":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/upvoted.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/downvoted":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/downvoted.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/edit":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/edit.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/edit/username":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/edit/username.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/edit/email":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/edit/email.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/edit/password":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/edit/password.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/info":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/info.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/settings":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/settings.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/uploads":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/uploads.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/consent":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/consent.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/blocks":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/blocks.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/sessions":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/sessions.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/session/{uuid}":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/session/uuid.yaml'
  /api/notifications:
    $ref: 'read/notifications.yaml'
  "/api/user/{userslug}/chats/{roomid}":
    $ref: 'read/user/userslug/chats/roomid.yaml'
  "/api/chats/{roomid}":
    $ref: 'read/chats/roomid.yaml'
  /api/groups:
    $ref: 'read/groups.yaml'
  "/api/groups/{slug}":
    $ref: 'read/groups/slug.yaml'
  "/api/groups/{slug}/members":
    $ref: 'read/groups/slug/members.yaml'
  /api/outgoing:
    $ref: 'read/outgoing.yaml'