MediaWiki API

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  1. MediaWiki API: A Beginner's Guide

The MediaWiki API (Application Programming Interface) is a powerful set of tools that allows developers to interact with a MediaWiki installation programmatically. Instead of relying solely on the web interface for tasks like reading, writing, and modifying wiki content, the API enables automated operations, integration with external applications, and the creation of custom tools. This article aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the MediaWiki API for beginners, covering its core concepts, common uses, authentication methods, and basic implementation examples. We will focus on version 1.40, the current stable release as of late 2023/early 2024.

== What is an API?

Before diving into the MediaWiki API specifically, it's crucial to understand the general concept of an API. Think of an API as a contract between two software systems. It defines the methods and data formats that applications can use to request and exchange information. Without an API, applications would need to directly access the underlying database or file system of another application – a highly insecure and complex process. APIs provide a standardized, secure, and controlled way for applications to communicate. In the context of MediaWiki, the API allows external programs to interact with the wiki *as if* they were a user, but without needing to browse the website.

== Why Use the MediaWiki API?

There are numerous reasons why you might want to use the MediaWiki API:

  • **Automation:** Automate repetitive tasks like page creation, category assignment, or link checking. This is particularly useful for large wikis with frequent updates.
  • **Data Extraction:** Extract data from the wiki for analysis, reporting, or integration with other systems. For example, you could extract all articles related to a specific topic and analyze their content.
  • **External Tools:** Create custom tools and extensions that integrate with the wiki. This could include bots, import/export scripts, or specialized editing interfaces. Many extensions leverage the API.
  • **Mobile Applications:** Develop mobile applications that can access and modify wiki content.
  • **Cross-Platform Integration:** Integrate the wiki with other platforms and services, such as content management systems or social media networks.
  • **Research & Analysis:** Programmatically analyze wiki content for patterns, trends, or insights. This relates to data analysis techniques.
  • **Bulk Editing:** Perform large-scale edits that would be impractical or impossible to do manually. Think updating thousands of infoboxes.
  • **Monitoring and Reporting:** Track changes to the wiki and generate reports on activity, such as page views or edit rates. This is similar to market monitoring in financial contexts.

== Core Concepts

The MediaWiki API revolves around several core concepts:

  • **Actions:** These are the specific tasks you can perform through the API, such as `query`, `edit`, `create`, `delete`, `login`, and `upload`. Each action has its own set of parameters.
  • **Parameters:** These are the inputs you provide to an action to specify what you want to do. Parameters are passed as key-value pairs in the API request. For example, the `query` action requires parameters like `list` (to specify what kind of data you want to retrieve, like `categorymembers`) and `cmtitle` (to specify the category to query).
  • **Requests:** These are the messages you send to the API to request an action. Requests are typically made using HTTP GET or POST methods.
  • **Responses:** These are the messages the API sends back to you in response to your requests. Responses are typically formatted as JSON or XML. JSON is generally preferred for its readability and ease of parsing.
  • **Modules:** Within the `query` action, modules allow you to request specific types of information. Common modules include `categories`, `images`, `links`, `pages`, `recentchanges`, and `userinfo`.
  • **Lists:** Within the `query` action, lists specify *what* information you want to retrieve *within* a module. For example, within the `pages` module, you can use the `pageids`, `pagetitles`, and `pagecontent` lists.
  • **Titles:** Page titles are crucial for many API actions. They need to be properly formatted, often URL-encoded to handle special characters. Understanding title formatting is essential.

== Authentication

Many API actions require authentication to prevent unauthorized access and modification of the wiki. MediaWiki offers several authentication methods:

  • **User/Password Authentication:** The simplest method, but generally discouraged for security reasons. It involves sending your username and password with each request.
  • **API Tokens (Cookies):** A more secure method that involves obtaining a temporary token (often called a "cookie") after logging in via the web interface. This token is then included in subsequent API requests. This is the recommended method for most use cases. Tokens can be configured with specific permissions.
  • **OAuth:** A more advanced authentication protocol that allows users to grant third-party applications access to their wiki accounts without sharing their passwords. This is useful for complex integrations and applications that require a high level of security. It's similar to how you authorize apps to access your social media accounts.
  • **Bot Accounts:** Dedicated accounts for automated tasks. These accounts require special permissions and are often used for tasks like link checking or vandalism detection. Bot accounts typically operate with API tokens.

To obtain an API token, you can use the `login` action. The response will include a token that you can then use in subsequent requests by including the `token` parameter. Refer to the API documentation for detailed instructions on obtaining and using tokens.

== Making API Requests

API requests are typically made using HTTP GET or POST methods. Here's a basic example using `curl` to retrieve the content of the "Main Page":

```bash curl "https://yourwiki.example.com/w/api.php?action=query&title=Main Page&format=json&prop=content" ```

Let's break down this request:

  • `https://yourwiki.example.com/w/api.php`: The URL of the MediaWiki API endpoint. Replace `yourwiki.example.com` with your wiki's domain.
  • `action=query`: Specifies the action to perform (in this case, `query` to retrieve data).
  • `title=Main Page`: Specifies the page title to retrieve.
  • `format=json`: Specifies the desired response format (JSON).
  • `prop=content`: Specifies the property to retrieve (in this case, the page content).

You can also use programming languages like Python, PHP, or JavaScript to make API requests. Most languages have libraries that simplify the process of making HTTP requests and parsing JSON or XML responses.

== Common API Actions

Here are some of the most commonly used MediaWiki API actions:

  • **`query`:** The most versatile action, used for retrieving data about pages, categories, users, and more. It's the workhorse of the API.
  • **`edit`:** Used for editing existing pages. Requires authentication and a valid token.
  • **`create`:** Used for creating new pages. Requires authentication and a valid token.
  • **`delete`:** Used for deleting pages. Requires authentication, a valid token, and appropriate permissions.
  • **`login`:** Used for authenticating with the API and obtaining a token.
  • **`upload`:** Used for uploading files to the wiki. Requires authentication and a valid token.
  • **`parse`:** Used for parsing wiki markup and converting it to HTML. Useful for previewing content before saving it.
  • **`categories`:** Retrieve a list of categories. Similar to technical indicators in trading, it helps understand the structure.
  • **`images`:** Retrieve information about images. Like analyzing market trends, it can reveal usage patterns.
  • **`recentchanges`:** Retrieve a list of recent changes to the wiki. This is analogous to real-time data feeds.
  • **`search`:** Perform a search on the wiki. Similar to keyword research.

== Example: Retrieving Category Members

Let's say you want to retrieve a list of all pages in the "Help" category. Here's how you can do it using the `query` action:

```bash curl "https://yourwiki.example.com/w/api.php?action=query&list=categorymembers&cmtitle=Category:Help&format=json" ```

This request will return a JSON response containing a list of pages that are members of the "Category:Help" category. You can then parse this response to extract the page titles and IDs.

== Example: Editing a Page

To edit a page, you'll need a token and the page content. Here's a simplified example:

```bash curl -X POST "https://yourwiki.example.com/w/api.php" \ 

 -d "action=edit" \
 -d "title=Main Page" \
 -d "text=This is the updated content of the Main Page." \
 -d "summary=Updated by API" \
 -d "token=YOUR_API_TOKEN"

```

Replace `YOUR_API_TOKEN` with your actual API token. The `summary` parameter provides a brief description of the edit.

== Error Handling

API requests can fail for various reasons, such as invalid parameters, authentication errors, or server errors. It's important to handle errors gracefully in your code. The API returns error codes and messages in the response that can help you identify the cause of the error. Checking the `error` key in the JSON response is crucial. Similar to risk management in trading, proper error handling is vital.

== Best Practices

  • **Use Tokens:** Always use API tokens for authentication instead of usernames and passwords.
  • **Rate Limiting:** Be mindful of rate limits to avoid overloading the wiki server. Implement delays or caching to reduce the number of requests you make.
  • **Error Handling:** Implement robust error handling to gracefully handle API failures.
  • **Documentation:** Refer to the official MediaWiki API documentation for the latest information and best practices: [1]
  • **Testing:** Thoroughly test your API integrations to ensure they work as expected.
  • **URL Encoding:** Properly URL-encode page titles and other parameters.
  • **Use JSON:** Prefer JSON over XML for its readability and ease of parsing.
  • **Consider the `prop` Parameter:** When using the `query` action, carefully select the `prop` parameter to retrieve only the data you need. This optimizes performance.
  • **Understand Modules and Lists:** Mastering the use of modules and lists within the `query` action is key to efficient data retrieval. Think of it as understanding different trading strategies.

== Resources

  • **MediaWiki API Documentation:** [2]
  • **API Sandbox:** [3]
  • **MediaWiki Developer Network:** [4]
  • **PHP Library for MediaWiki API:** [5]
  • **Python Library for MediaWiki API:** [6]
  • **JavaScript Library for MediaWiki API:** [7]
  • **Understanding JSON:** [8]
  • **URL Encoding:** [9]
  • **OAuth 2.0:** [10]

== Further Exploration

The MediaWiki API is a vast and powerful tool. This article provides a basic introduction, but there's much more to explore. Consider delving into more advanced topics such as:

  • **API Hooks:** Extend the functionality of the API with custom hooks.
  • **Webhooks:** Receive notifications when specific events occur on the wiki.
  • **API Usage Statistics:** Monitor your API usage to identify potential issues.
  • **Advanced Querying:** Use complex queries to retrieve highly specific data.
  • **Bulk Data Manipulation:** Utilize the API for large-scale data import and export.

By mastering the MediaWiki API, you can unlock the full potential of your wiki and create powerful custom tools and integrations. It’s like mastering complex indicators to gain a deeper understanding of a market.

MediaWiki API Authentication JSON XML Extensions Data analysis topic API documentation title formatting market monitoring social media accounts technical indicators market trends real-time data feeds keyword research risk management trading strategies complex indicators

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