API overview

What is it?

The Trove API provides data in a machine-readable form, enabling you to create new applications, tools and interfaces.

What data?

Metadata from most of Trove's zones is available through the API, including the public lists created by users. You can also obtain the full text of Trove's digitised newspapers. Data from the People and Organisations zone is available through its own API . Content from the Archived Websites zone is not currently provided.

Find out more about what's inside Trove or view a five minute introduction to some of Trove's hidden treasures.

What can I do with it?

Make wonderful things! With the API you can reuse Trove's data in many ways, some examples include:

  • display results from Trove on another website
  • harvest Trove records to include in another database or for offline analysis
  • retrieve tags or comments added to records contributed by your organisation
  • create new tools and visualisations

Look in our applications gallery and experiments for inspiration and ideas.

Who can use it?

Anyone can use the API, just sign up to Trove and apply for a key. If you want to use the API for a commerical purpose you'll need to get explicit permission. Read our API Terms of Use for more information.

How do I get an API key?

Non-commercial

If you are going to use the API for? non-commercial purposes ?(playing around, personal use, free services):

  1. If you don’t already have one,? sign up ?for a Trove user account.
  2. Log in to Trove ?and click on your user name to go to? your user profile .
  3. Click on the “For developers” tab in your user profile.
  4. Fill in the form to apply for a Trove API key.
  5. Read the documentation ?and start using your key to access the API.

Go back to the 'For developers' tab in your user profile at any time to find your API key, quota and other details about your access to the Trove API.

Commercial

If you are going to use the API for? commercial purposes ?(making money or behind a paywall):

  1. If you don’t already have one,? sign up ?for a Trove user account (we will attach the API key to this acount).
  2. Contact us ?to let us know:
    1. What you are going to use the API for.
    2. Your Trove user name.
  3. If your use of the API is approved, we will get back to you with an API key, attached to your Trove account.
  4. Log in to Trove ?and click on your user name to go to? your user profile .
  5. Click on the 'For developers' tab in your user profile.
  6. Read the documentation ?and start using your key to access the API.

How do I get started?

An easy way to start exploring the API is by using the Trove API Console . The Console lets you construct queries and view live results in your browser, without having to worry about an API key. Once you understand the basics you'll probably want to dive into the complete technical guide ?which lists all the available parameters and response formats.

Useful information