The API

What is the API?

The Qhub API is a simple protocol set that allows developers to write their own interfaces for a hub's content, including its questions, answers and members.

Qhub API Specification

The Qhub API is a standard developer-oriented interface to the main features available to a Qhub. It allows the construction of customised third-party applications that will encourage the growth of specific Qhubs and the Qhub system as a whole.

Overview

The API is available to any user registered to a Qhub. Each API request must be validated according to an active user within a specified Qhub.

Only approved and preapproved contributions will be returned, and relevant members must exist and be active.

There are API usage limits, according to requests per hour (by IP). Frequencies of requests are constantly monitored. Extreme usages will be automatically banned.

All requests require validation.

Technology

HTTP is used as the basic protocol. GET methods required, unless the method specifically performs a data insertion, deletion or update - in which case, a POST method is used.

Response data is either XML or JSON.

REST API POST Method: VERIFY a user credential

Returns success/failure.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/verify.FORMAT

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: POST

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Parameters: required

USER_ID

Filters: none

Example:

require_once 'class.qhub.php';
$qhub = new qhub('example.qhub.com','your_user_id','your_password','your_api_key');
$url = "/verify.xml";
$postfields = array(
	'user_id'=>'your_user_id'
);
$result = $qhub->request($url, $postfields);
echo '<pre>';
echo htmlspecialchars($response);
echo '</pre>';

Response: success

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
true
</response>

Response: failure

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="fail">
ERROR_MESSAGE
</response>

REST API POST Method: POST a question

Returns success/failure.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/ask.FORMAT

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: POST

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Parameters: required

QUESTION
TAGS
USER_ID

Filters: none

Example:

require_once 'class.qhub.php';
$qhub = new qhub('example.qhub.com','your_user_id','your_password','your_api_key');
$url = "/ask.xml";
$postfields = array(
	'question'=>"Where Can I Get Help With Qhub?",
	'tags'=>'qhub,help',
	'user_id'=>'your_user_id'
);
$result = $qhub->request($url, $postfields);
echo '<pre>';
echo htmlspecialchars($response);
echo '</pre>';

Response: success

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
Your question has been successfully saved. <a href="http://QUESTION_LINK">QUESTION_LINK</a>
</response>

Response: failure

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="fail">
ERROR_MESSAGE
</response>

REST API POST Method: POST an answer

Returns success/failure.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/answer.FORMAT

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: POST

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Parameters: required

ANSWER
QUESTION_ID
USER_ID

Filters: none

Example:

require_once 'class.qhub.php';
$qhub = new qhub('example.qhub.com','your_user_id','your_password','your_api_key');
$url = "/answer.xml";
$postfields = array(
	'answer'=>"Together we can help each other create better, more beautiful websites.",
	'question_id'=>123,
	'user_id'=>'your_user_id'
);
$result = $qhub->request($url, $postfields);
echo '<pre>';
echo htmlspecialchars($response);
echo '</pre>';

Response: success

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
Your answer has been successfully saved. <a href="http://QUESTION_LINK">QUESTION_LINK</a>
</response>

Response: failure

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="fail">
ERROR_MESSAGE
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET list questions

Returns a list of associative array of questions (question, question ID, user ID, user Name, date created, tags, num answers) in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/questions.FORMAT[?FILTER[&FILTER]]

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Filters: optional

type=( answered | unanswered )
user_ids[]=USER_ID[&user_ids[]=USER_ID]
tags[]=TAG_NAME[&tags[]=TAG_NAME]
datefrom=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
dateto=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
order=( popular | newest | oldest )
limit=NUMBER

Note that if the order filter is not specified, the api will return the newest question first.

Note also that if the order filter is popular, then the api will ignore all filters but the limit filter.

Example:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/questions.xml?type=answered&user_ids[]=1&user_ids[]=2&tags[]=ab&tags[]=cd
&datefrom=2010-01-01&dateto=2010-01-31&order=popular&limit=4

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<question>What is A?</question>
<question_id>1</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>ABC</user_name>
<tags>ab,cd</tags>
<date_created>2010-02-11 15:35:09</date_created>
<num_answers>4</num_answers>
</item>
<item>
<question>What is B?</question>
<question_id>2</question_id>
<user_id>2</user_id>
<user_name>BCD</user_name>
<tags>ab,ef</tags>
<date_created>2010-02-12 15:35:09</date_created>
<num_answers>0</num_answers>
</item>
<item>
<question>What is C?</question>
<question_id>3</question_id>
<user_id>3</user_id>
<user_name>CDE</user_name>
<tags>ab,cd</tags>
<date_created>2010-02-13 15:35:09</date_created>
<num_answers>1</num_answers>
</item>
<item>
<question>What is D?</question>
<question_id>4</question_id>
<user_id>4</user_id>
<user_name>DEF</user_name>
<tags>cd,ef</tags>
<date_created>2010-02-15 15:35:09</date_created>
<num_answers>2</num_answers>
</item>
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET a question

Returns a list of associative array of a question (question, question ID, user ID, user Name, date created, tags, num answers) in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/question/QUESTIONID.FORMAT

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Parameters: QUESTION_ID (Required)

Filters: none

Example:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/question/123.xml

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<question>What is ABC?</question>
<question_id>123</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>ABC</user_name>
<tags>ab,cd</tags>
<date_created>2010-02-11 15:35:09</date_created>
<num_answers>2</num_answers>
</item>
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET list answers

Returns a list of associative array of answers (answer, answer ID, question ID, use IDs, userName, date created) in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/answers.FORMAT[?FILTER[&FILTER]]

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Filters: optional

user_ids[]=USER_ID[&user_ids[]=USER_ID]
tags[]=TAG_NAME[&tags[]=TAG_NAME]
datefrom=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
dateto=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
limit=NUMBER

Example:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/answers.xml?user_ids[]=1&user_ids[]=2&tags[]=ab&tags[]=cd&datefrom=2010-01-01&dateto=2010-01-31&limit=4

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<answer>answer 3</answer>
<answer_id>3</answer_id>
<question_id>1341</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>A Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-02-11 15:35:09</date_created>
</item>
<item>
<answer>answer 4</answer>
<answer_id>4</answer_id>
<question_id>1394</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>A Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-02-11 14:39:49</date_created>
</item>
<item>
<answer>answer 5</answer>
<answer_id>5</answer_id>
<question_id>1341</question_id>
<user_id>2</user_id>
<user_name>B Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-02-09 14:36:16</date_created>
</item>
<item>
<answer>answer 6</answer>
<answer_id>6</answer_id>
<question_id>461</question_id>
<user_id>2</user_id>
<user_name>B Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-02-03 22:10:22</date_created>
</item>
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET list an answer

Returns a list of associative array of an answer (answer, answer ID, question ID, use ID, userName, date created) in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/answer/ANSWERID.FORMAT

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Parameters: ANSWERID

Filters: none

Example:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/answer/1.xml

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<answer>answer 7</answer>
<answer_id>1</answer_id>
<question_id>1341</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>A Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-02-11 15:35:09</date_created>
</item>
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET list members

Returns list of associative array of members (user id, user name, type, question count, answer count, date joined) in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/members.FORMAT[?FILTER[&FILTER]]

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Filters: optional

datefrom=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
dateto=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
limit=NUMBER

Example:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/members.xml?datefrom=2010-01-01&dateto=2010-01-31&limit=2

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<user_id>987654321</user_id>
<user_name>A</user_name>
<type>member</type>
<date_joined>2010-01-31 17:46:38</date_joined>
<num_questions>0</num_questions>
<num_answers>1</num_answers>
</item>
<item>
<user_id>987654322</user_id>
<user_name>B</user_name>
<type>member</type>
<date_joined>2010-01-31 14:00:22</date_joined>
<num_questions>0</num_questions>
<num_answers>1</num_answers>
</item>
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET A member's contributions

Returns list of the contributions of a members in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/member/USER_ID.FORMAT[?FILTER[&FILTER]]

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Filters: optional

contrib=( all | answer | question )
datefrom=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
dateto=DATE (Y-m-d = 0000-00-00)
limit=NUMBER

Examples:

1. http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/member/1.xml?contrib=question&datefrom=2010-01-01&dateto=2010-01-31&limit=2

2. http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/member/1.xml?contrib=answer&datefrom=2010-01-01&dateto=2010-01-31&limit=2

3. http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/member/1.xml?contrib=all&datefrom=2010-01-01&dateto=2010-01-31&limit=4

(same as http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/member/1.xml?datefrom=2010-01-01&dateto=2010-01-31&limit=4)

Response:

example 1.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<answer>answer 1</answer>
<answer_id>1</answer_id>
<question_id>2007</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>A Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-01-27 11:36:48</date_created>
</item>
<item>
<answer>answer 2</answer>
<answer_id>2</answer_id>
<question_id>1906</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>A Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-01-07 18:30:37</date_created>
</item>
</response>

example 2.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<question>question 1</question>
<question_id>2007</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>A Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-01-27 11:36:48</date_created>
<tags>blog</tags>
<num_answers>1</num_answers>
</item>
<item>
<question>question 2</question>
<question_id>2005</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>A Smith</user_name>
<date_created>2010-01-27 09:23:37</date_created>
<tags>Computer networks,networks</tags>
<num_answers>0</num_answers>
</item>
</response>

example 3. Server returns 2 answers and 2 questions

REST API GET Method: GET list tags

Returns list of associative array of tags (tag name, question count) in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/tags.FORMAT

HUB_URL: domain name of the hub e.g. example.qhub.com

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Filters: none

Example:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/tags.xml

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<tag>ab</tag>
<num_questions>2</num_questions>
</item>
<item>
<tag>bc</tag>
<num_questions>3</num_questions>
</item>
<item>
<tag>cd</tag>
<num_questions>1</num_questions>
</item>
...
<item>
<tag>yz</tag>
<num_questions>0</num_questions>
</item>
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET questions in a tag

Returns list of the questions in a tag in the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/tag/TAG_NAME.FORMAT[?FILTER[&FILTER]]

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Filters: optional

type=( answered | unanswered )
user_ids[]=USER_ID[&user_ids[]=USER_ID]
limit=NUMBER

Examples:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/tag/abc.xml?type=unanswered&user_ids[]=1&user_ids[]=2&limit=2

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<question>What is A?</question>
<question_id>1</question_id>
<user_id>1</user_id>
<user_name>ABC</user_name>
<tags>abc,cd</tags>
<date_created>2010-02-11 15:35:09</date_created>
<num_answers>4</num_answers>
</item>
<item>
<question>What is B?</question>
<question_id>2</question_id>
<user_id>2</user_id>
<user_name>BCD</user_name>
<tags>abc,ef</tags>
<date_created>2010-02-12 15:35:09</date_created>
<num_answers>0</num_answers>
</item>
</response>

REST API GET Method: GET stats in the hub

Returns list of the stats of the specified hub.

URL: http://api.qhub.com/HUB_URL/stats.FORMAT[?FILTER[&FILTER]]

FORMAT: xml, json

HTTP Method: GET

Requires Authentication: true

API rate limited: true

Filters: none

Examples:

http://api.qhub.com/example.qhub.com/stats.xml

Response:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<response status="ok">
<item>
<date_created>2010-01-01 00:00:01</date_created>
<num_members>1500</num_members>
<num_active_members>1455</num_active_members>
<num_questions>12345</num_questions>
<num_answers>13454</num_answers>
</item>
</response>

Got Problem?

Should you have any problem or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact us apihelp@qhub.com

is a simple way to create a Q&A website

The API

What is the API?

Qhub API Specification

Overview

Technology

REST API POST Method: VERIFY a user credential

REST API POST Method: POST a question

REST API POST Method: POST an answer

REST API GET Method: GET list questions

REST API GET Method: GET a question

REST API GET Method: GET list answers

REST API GET Method: GET list an answer

REST API GET Method: GET list members

REST API GET Method: GET A member's contributions

REST API GET Method: GET list tags

REST API GET Method: GET questions in a tag

REST API GET Method: GET stats in the hub

Got Problem?