Medium API Documentation

Updated 01142023-071234

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This repository contains the documentation for Medium’s API.

Contents

• Overview
• Authentication
• Browser-based authentication
• Self-issued access tokens
• Resources
• Users
• Publications
• Posts
• Images
• Testing

1. Overview

Medium’s API is a JSON-based OAuth2 API. All requests are made to endpoints beginning: https://api.medium.com/v1

All requests must be secure, i.e. https, not http.

Developer agreement

By using Medium’s API, you agree to our terms of service.

2. Authentication

In order to publish on behalf of a Medium account, you will need an access token. An access token grants limited access to a user’s account. We offer two ways to acquire an access token: browser-based OAuth authentication, and self-issued access tokens.

We recommend using self-issued access tokens. Browser-based authentication is supported for existing integrations only.

2.1. Self-issued access tokens

Self-issued access tokens (described in user-facing copy as integration tokens) are explicitly designed for desktop integrations where implementing browser-based authentication is non-trivial, or software like plugins where it is impossible to secure a client secret. You should not request that a user give you an integration token if you don’t meet these criteria. Users will be cautioned within Medium to treat integration tokens like passwords, and dissuaded from making them generally available.

Users can request an access token by emailing yourfriends@medium.com. We will then grant access on the Settings page of their Medium account.

You should instruct your user to visit this URL and generate an integration token from the Integration Tokens section. You should suggest a description for this token - typically the name of your product or feature - and use it consistently for all users.

Self-issued access tokens do not expire, though they may be revoked by the user at any time.

2.2. Browser-based authentication

IMPORTANT: We don't allow any new integrations with our API.

If you already have an existing integration, the first step is to acquire a short term authorization code by sending the user to our authorization URL so they can grant access to your integration.

https://medium.com/m/oauth/authorize?client_id=clientId
    &scope=basicProfile,publishPost
    &state=state
    &response_type=code
    &redirect_uri=redirectUri

With the following parameters:

The following scope values are valid:

Integrations are not permitted to request extended scope from users without explicit prior permission from Medium. Attempting to request these permissions through the standard user authentication flow will result in an error if extended scope has not been authorized for an integration.

If the user grants your request for access, we will send them back to the specified redirect_uri with a state and code parameter:

https://example.com/callback/medium?state=state
    &code=code

With the following parameters:

If the user declines access, we will send them back to the specified redirect_uri with an error parameter:

https://example.com/callback/medium?error=access_denied

Once you have an authorization code, you may exchange it for a long-lived access token with which you can make authenticated requests on behalf of the user. To acquire an access token, make a form-encoded server-side POST request:

POST /v1/tokens HTTP/1.1
Host: api.medium.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Accept: application/json
Accept-Charset: utf-8

code=code&client_id=client_id&client_secret=client_secret&grant_type=authorization_code&redirect_uri=redirect_uri

With the following parameters:

If successful, you will receive back an access token response:

HTTP/1.1 201 OK
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "token_type": "Bearer",
  "access_token": access_token,
  "refresh_token": refresh_token,
  "scope": scope,
  "expires_at": expires_at
}

With the following parameters:

Each access token is valid for 60 days. When an access token expires, you may request a new token using the refresh token. Refresh tokens do not expire. Both access tokens and refresh tokens may be revoked by the user at any time. You must treat both access tokens and refresh tokens like passwords and store them securely.

Both access tokens and refresh tokens are consecutive strings of hex digits, like this:

181d415f34379af07b2c11d144dfbe35d

To acquire a new access token using a refresh token, make the following form-encoded request:

POST /v1/tokens HTTP/1.1
Host: api.medium.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Accept: application/json
Accept-Charset: utf-8

refresh_token=refresh_token&client_id=client_id
&client_secret=client_secret&grant_type=refresh_token

With the following parameters:

3. Resources

The API is RESTful and arranged around resources. All requests must be made with an integration token. All requests must be made using https.

Typically, the first request you make should be to acquire user details. This will confirm that your access token is valid, and give you a user id that you will need for subsequent requests.

3.1. Users

Getting the authenticated user’s details

Returns details of the user who has granted permission to the application.

GET https://api.medium.com/v1/me

Example request:

GET /v1/me HTTP/1.1
Host: api.medium.com
Authorization: Bearer 181d415f34379af07b2c11d144dfbe35d
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json
Accept-Charset: utf-8

The response is a User object within a data envelope.

Example response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "data": {
    "id": "5303d74c64f66366f00cb9b2a94f3251bf5",
    "username": "majelbstoat",
    "name": "Jamie Talbot",
    "url": "https://medium.com/@majelbstoat",
    "imageUrl": "https://images.medium.com/0*fkfQiTzT7TlUGGyI.png"
  }
}

Where a User object is:

Possible errors:

3.2. Publications

Listing the user’s publications

Returns a full list of publications that the user is related to in some way: This includes all publications the user is subscribed to, writes to, or edits. This endpoint offers a set of data similar to what you’ll see at https://medium.com/me/publications when logged in.

The REST API endpoint exposes this list of publications as a collection of resources under the user. A request to fetch a list of publications for a user looks like this:

GET https://api.medium.com/v1/users/userId/publications

The response is a list of publication objects. An empty array is returned if user doesn’t have relations to any publications. The response array is wrapped in a data envelope. This endpoint will return all publications in which a user has a role of "editor" or "writer" along with a maximum of 200 other publications the user follows or has other relationships with.

Example response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "b969ac62a46b",
      "name": "About Medium",
      "description": "What is this thing and how does it work?",
      "url": "https://medium.com/about",
      "imageUrl": "https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/fit/c/200/200/0*ae1jbP_od0W6EulE.jpeg"
    },
    {
      "id": "b45573563f5a",
      "name": "Developers",
      "description": "Medium’s Developer resources",
      "url": "https://medium.com/developers",
      "imageUrl": "https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/fit/c/200/200/1*ccokMT4VXmDDO1EoQQHkzg@2x.png"
    }
  ]
}

Where a Publication object is:

Possible errors:

Fetching contributors for a publication

This endpoint returns a list of contributors for a given publication. In other words, a list of Medium users who are allowed to publish under a publication, as well as a description of their exact role in the publication (for now, either an editor or a writer). The API endpoint exposes the contributors as list of resources under a publication. An example request looks like this:

GET https://api.medium.com/v1/publications/publicationId/contributors

In the response, each contributor is represented with the ID of the publication, the ID of the user as well as the role of this user in this publication. An example response looks like this:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "data": [
    {
      "publicationId": "b45573563f5a",
      "userId": "13a06af8f81849c64dafbce822cbafbfab7ed7cecf82135bca946807ea351290d",
      "role": "editor"
    },
    {
      "publicationId": "b45573563f5a",
      "userId": "1c9c63b15b874d3e354340b7d7458d55e1dda0f6470074df1cc99608a372866ac",
      "role": "editor"
    },
    {
      "publicationId": "b45573563f5a",
      "userId": "1cc07499453463518b77d31650c0b53609dc973ad8ebd33690c7be9236e9384ad",
      "role": "editor"
    },
    {
      "publicationId": "b45573563f5a",
      "userId": "196f70942410555f4b3030debc4f199a0d5a0309a7b9df96c57b8ec6e4b5f11d7",
      "role": "writer"
    },
    {
      "publicationId": "b45573563f5a",
      "userId": "14d4a581f21ff537d245461b8ff2ae9b271b57d9554e25d863e3df6ef03ddd480",
      "role": "writer"
    }
  ]
}

Where a contributor is:

Possible errors:

3.3. Posts

Creating a post

Creates a post on the authenticated user’s profile.

POST https://api.medium.com/v1/users/authorId/posts

Where authorId is the user id of the authenticated user.

Example request:

POST /v1/users/5303d74c64f66366f00cb9b2a94f3251bf5/posts HTTP/1.1
Host: api.medium.com
Authorization: Bearer 181d415f34379af07b2c11d144dfbe35d
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json
Accept-Charset: utf-8

{
  "title": "Liverpool FC",
  "contentFormat": "html",
  "content": "<h1>Liverpool FC</h1><p>You’ll never walk alone.</p>",
  "canonicalUrl": "http://jamietalbot.com/posts/liverpool-fc",
  "tags": ["football", "sport", "Liverpool"],
  "publishStatus": "public"
}

With the following fields:

The response is a Post object within a data envelope. Example response:

HTTP/1.1 201 OK
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "data": {
    "id": "e6f36a",
    "title": "Liverpool FC",
    "authorId": "5303d74c64f66366f00cb9b2a94f3251bf5",
    "tags": ["football", "sport", "Liverpool"],
    "url": "https://medium.com/@majelbstoat/liverpool-fc-e6f36a",
    "canonicalUrl": "http://jamietalbot.com/posts/liverpool-fc",
    "publishStatus": "public",
    "publishedAt": 1442286338435,
    "license": "all-rights-reserved",
    "licenseUrl": "https://medium.com/policy/9db0094a1e0f"
  }
}

Where a Post object is:

Possible errors:

Creating a post under a publication

This API allows creating a post and associating it with a publication on Medium. The request also shows this association, considering posts a collection of resources under a publication:

POST https://api.medium.com/v1/publications/publicationId/posts

Here publicationId is the id of the publication the post is being created under. The publicationId can be acquired from the API for listing user’s publications.

Example request:

POST /v1/publications/b45573563f5a/posts HTTP/1.1
Host: api.medium.com
Authorization: Bearer 181d415f34379af07b2c11d144dfbe35d
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json
Accept-Charset: utf-8

{
  "title": "Hard things in software development",
  "contentFormat": "html",
  "content": "<p>Cache invalidation</p><p>Naming things</p>",
  "tags": ["development", "design"],
  "publishStatus": "draft"
}

The definition of request data is equal to the regular call to create a post above. The response is identical except for adding one additional field:

There are additional rules around publishing that each request to this API must respect:

• If the authenticated user is an 'editor' for the publication, they can create posts with any publish status. Posts published as 'public' or 'unlisted' will appear in collection immediately, while posts created as 'draft' will remain in pending state under publication.
• If the authenticated user is a 'writer' for the chosen publication, they can only create a post as a 'draft'. That post will remain in pending state under publication until an editor for the publication approves it.
• If the authenticated user is neither a 'writer' nor an 'editor', they are not allowed to create any posts in a publication.

Possible errors:

3.4. Images

Uploading an image

Most integrations will not need to use this resource. Medium will automatically side-load any images specified by the src attribute on an <img> tag in post content when creating a post. However, if you are building a desktop integration and have local image files that you wish to send, you may use the images endpoint.

Unlike other API endpoints, this requires multipart form-encoded data.

POST https://api.medium.com/v1/images

Example request:

POST /v1/images HTTP/1.1
Host: api.medium.com
Authorization: Bearer 181d415f34379af07b2c11d144dfbe35d
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=FormBoundaryXYZ
Accept: application/json
Accept-Charset: utf-8

--FormBoundaryXYZ
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="image"; filename="filename.png"
Content-Type: image/png

IMAGE_DATA
--FormBoundaryXYZ--

The field name must be image. All lines in the body must be terminated with \r\n. Only one image may be sent per request. The following image content types are supported:

• image/jpeg
• image/png
• image/gif
• image/tiff

Animated gifs are supported. Use your power for good.

The response is an Image object within a data envelope. Example response:

HTTP/1.1 201 OK
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "data": {
    "url": "https://images.medium.com/0*fkfQiTzT7TlUGGyI.png",
    "md5": "fkfQiTzT7TlUGGyI"
  }
}

Where an Image object is:

You may choose to persist the md5 and url of uploaded images in a local store, so that you can quickly determine in future whether an image needs to be uploaded to Medium, or if an existing URL can be reused.

4. Testing

We do not have a sandbox environment yet. To test, please feel free to create a testing account. We recommend you do this by registering using an email address rather than Facebook or Twitter, as registering with the latter two automatically creates follower relationships on Medium between your connections on those networks.

These endpoints will perform actions on production data on medium.com. Please test with care.