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Pocket API Essential Guide

Aug 12, 20246 minute read

What type of API does Pocket provide?

Based on the search results provided, there is no specific information about what type of API Pocket uses. The search results contain general information about different API types like REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and gRPC, but do not mention Pocket's API specifically.

Without more specific information about Pocket's API, I cannot definitively state what type of API they use. However, I can provide some general information and educated guesses:

  1. Most modern web services tend to use REST APIs, as they are widely supported and relatively easy to implement and consume. It's possible that Pocket uses a REST API, but this is just speculation without concrete evidence.

  2. GraphQL APIs have gained popularity in recent years, especially for applications that require flexible data fetching. While it's possible Pocket could use GraphQL, it's less common than REST and would require confirmation.

  3. SOAP APIs are less common for newer web services, being more prevalent in enterprise environments. It's unlikely, though not impossible, that Pocket would use SOAP.

  4. gRPC is typically used for high-performance scenarios and is less common for public-facing APIs. It's unlikely Pocket would use gRPC for their main API.

To get accurate information about Pocket's API type, you would need to:

  1. Check Pocket's official API documentation.
  2. Look for developer resources or guides provided by Pocket.
  3. Contact Pocket's developer support directly.

Without this specific information, we can only speculate based on common practices in the industry.

Does the Pocket API have webhooks?

Based on the search results provided, it appears that the official Pocket API does not have webhooks. The search results do not contain any information about Pocket API webhooks or events you can subscribe to through Pocket.

Instead, the search results primarily discuss webhooks for other platforms like HubSpot and Square. While these examples demonstrate how webhooks typically work, they are not related to the Pocket API specifically.

To summarize the key points:

  1. There is no direct mention of Pocket API webhooks in the search results.

  2. The search results provide information about webhooks for other platforms, which suggests that if Pocket had webhooks, it would likely be mentioned in a similar manner.

  3. Without specific documentation or mention of Pocket API webhooks, it's safe to assume that the official Pocket API does not currently support webhooks.

If you need real-time updates from Pocket, you may need to explore alternative methods such as polling the API at regular intervals to check for changes. However, to get the most accurate and up-to-date information about the Pocket API's capabilities, it would be best to consult the official Pocket API documentation or contact their developer support directly.

Rate Limits and other limitations

Here are the key points about the API Rate Limits for the Pocket API:

Consumer Key Limit

  • Each application (consumer key) is limited to 10,000 calls per hour [2].

User Limit

  • Each user is limited to 320 calls per hour [2].

Response Headers

The API responses include custom headers that provide information about the current rate limit status [2]:

  • X-Limit-User-Limit: Current rate limit enforced per user
  • X-Limit-User-Remaining: Number of calls remaining before hitting user's rate limit
  • X-Limit-User-Reset: Seconds until user's rate limit resets
  • X-Limit-Key-Limit: Current rate limit enforced per consumer key
  • X-Limit-Key-Remaining: Number of calls remaining before hitting consumer key's rate limit
  • X-Limit-Key-Reset: Seconds until consumer key rate limit resets

Additional Considerations

  • Applications should check for rate limit response codes and back off if limits are hit [2].
  • The "send" method can be used for batching requests to help stay within user limits [2].
  • Popular applications may be able to request whitelisting for higher limits by contacting [email protected] [2].

Best Practices

  • Monitor the rate limit headers to track remaining calls.
  • Implement backoff and retry logic when limits are reached.
  • Use batching where possible to reduce number of API calls.
  • Contact Pocket if higher limits are needed for popular applications.

The rate limits are designed to prevent overwhelming the API servers while still allowing reasonable usage for most applications and users. Proper implementation of limit handling is important to ensure smooth operation within the allowed thresholds.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results provided, I could not find a definitive answer about the most recent version of the Pocket API. However, I can provide some relevant information about the Pocket API versions and development:

Key Points:

  1. The current stable version of the Pocket Open API is 1.0, according to the documentation from Source 4.

  2. Pocket recommends that a specific version be requested explicitly for production applications, as major releases may break older implementations [5].

  3. Major changes in the API will be released with new versions [5].

API Versions and Development:

  1. The Pocket API documentation (Source 0) does not explicitly mention a specific version number for the most recent API.

  2. There are various libraries and SDKs available for developers to interact with the Pocket API:

    • A Python library (pocket-api) with version 0.1.5 was released on Sep 24, 2016 [2].
    • An npm package (pocket-api) with version 1.0.2 is available for Node.js developers [3].
  3. Pocket provides official SDKs for Python and Java, as well as community-developed SDKs for Node.js and C# [5].

Best Practices:

  1. When developing applications using the Pocket API, it's recommended to refer to the official Pocket developer documentation for the most up-to-date information [1].

  2. Developers should consider using the official SDKs or community-developed libraries to simplify integration with the Pocket API [5].

  3. When working with the API, it's important to be aware of rate limits and follow the guidelines provided by Pocket [4].

In conclusion, while I couldn't find a specific version number for the most recent Pocket API, the available information suggests that version 1.0 is the current stable version. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it would be best to consult the official Pocket developer documentation or contact their support directly.

How to get a Pocket developer account and API Keys?

Here's how to get a developer account for Pocket to create an API integration:

  1. Create a Pocket developer account:

    • Go to the Pocket Developer Portal (https://getpocket.com/developer/)
    • Sign up for a free Pocket account if you don't already have one
    • Log in to your Pocket account
  2. Create a new app:

    • On the Pocket Developer Portal, click "Create New App"
    • Fill out the app details form:
      • Give your app a name
      • Provide a brief description
      • Set permissions (Add, Modify, Retrieve) as needed for your integration
      • Set the platform (Web, iOS, Android, etc.)
      • Add a homepage URL for your app
    • Click "Create Application" when done
  3. Get your Consumer Key:

    • After creating the app, you'll be given a Consumer Key
    • Make note of this Consumer Key, as you'll need it to authenticate API requests
  4. Set up authentication:

    • Pocket uses a modified OAuth 2.0 flow for authentication
    • You'll need to implement the authentication flow to get an access token for making API calls
    • Follow the authentication steps in the Pocket API documentation
  5. Start making API requests:

    • Once you have your Consumer Key and access token, you can start making authenticated requests to the Pocket API

What can you do with the Pocket API?

Based on the search results provided, it appears the question is asking about the Pocket API rather than the Pocket Base database mentioned in one of the results. I'll focus on answering about the Pocket API data models. Here's a list of bullet points covering what is possible for each data model in the Pocket API:

Items

  • Add new items to a user's Pocket list
  • Retrieve saved items from a user's list
  • Modify existing items (e.g., archive, favorite, add tags)
  • Delete items from a user's list
  • Filter items by content type (e.g., articles, videos)
  • Search items by domain

Tags

  • Add tags to items
  • Remove tags from items
  • Retrieve items with specific tags
  • Perform more robust tagging operations

User Data

  • Authenticate users using OAuth 2.0
  • Access user profile information
  • Manage user preferences

Favorites

  • Mark items as favorites
  • Retrieve favorited items
  • Remove favorite status from items

Content Types

  • Filter and retrieve items by content type (e.g., articles, videos)
  • Perform domain searches across saved items

Key points to consider:

  1. The Pocket API provides access to most features available in native Pocket apps.

  2. Developers can integrate Pocket functionality into their own apps and websites using the API.

  3. The API includes features like quick authentication, favorites, content type filters, and robust tagging.

  4. Pocket offers an iOS/Mac SDK for easier integration in Apple ecosystem apps.

  5. The API allows for both reading and writing operations on a user's Pocket data.

  6. Developers need to sign up and obtain API credentials to start using the Pocket API.

Best practices:

  1. Use OAuth 2.0 for secure user authentication.

  2. Leverage the provided SDK for iOS and Mac applications to simplify integration.

  3. Consult the Pocket developer portal for detailed documentation and implementation instructions.

  4. Consider using the API for content curation, research, or information management workflows.

  5. Respect user privacy and data when accessing and manipulating their Pocket items.

By utilizing these data models and following best practices, developers can create powerful integrations with Pocket, enhancing their applications with save-for-later functionality and content management features.