Twitter API: Everything You Need To Know
Twitter announced a $5,000 monthly subscription charge for its API Pro plan. The company intended it for startups and small businesses, but entrepreneurs feel disappointed about the huge price. This backlash shows modern companies rely on social media data, hence the reaction toward Twitter API.
That is why more people should learn about the Twitter API. To start a business, you will likely need this software for your operations. Also, programmers should learn how to use this program to increase their chances of getting hired in our digital job market.
Casual readers will also benefit from understanding how their favorite products and services rely on social media. This article will discuss important aspects of Twitter API, particularly its features and price. Also, I will elaborate on its numerous applications, such as building mobile apps and websites.
What is Twitter API?
API means “Application Programming Interface,” and it enables two different computer programs to interact with each other. That means the Twitter API lets your software access data from this social network.
The Twitter Developer page describes Twitter API as a “set of programmatic endpoints that can be used to understand or build the conversation on Twitter.” Also, the page said it lets you “find, retrieve, engage with, or create a variety of different resources.”
- Tweets
- Spaces
- Users
- Lists
- Media
- Trends
- Places
- Direct messages
How to get the Twitter API
You need a Twitter Developer account to get this software. Register at developer.twitter.com if you don’t have one. Then, follow these instructions to get the program:
- Open a command prompt terminal on Windows by entering “cmd” on the desktop search bar. Alternatively, press CMD and Space on your Mac and search “terminal.”
- Then, open your Twitter Developer account.
- Access the apps management page and create an app. You must provide a name, website URL, and a 100-word description.
- Next, install the Ruby programming language.
- Install the Twitter API’s Twurl app using the social media network’s tutorials.
- Create an API key by logging in to your dev account and opening the Details option from the apps management screen.
- Click on the Keys and Tokens option to generate a new API key.
- Copy the consumer and secret API keys.
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You must authorize your Twitter app and account by running this command: “twurl authorize -consumer-key -consumer -secrete ” Next. replace “” and “” with the API keys.
Copy and paste the returned URL to your browser to receive a PIN. Afterward, enter the PIN into your terminal. Complete these steps, and you’re ready to use Twitter API.
What are the features of each subscription tier?
You must pay a monthly subscription fee for the API. Its features depend on your pricing tier. Learn more about the prices and features of the subscription plans:
- Free: This plan limits your access to v2 tweet posting and media upload endpoints. Also, you get 1,500 monthly tweets, an app ID, and a Twitter login.
- Basic: Twitter says this tier is for “hobbyists or prototypes.” It limits access to a suite of v2 endpoints and gives you 3,000 monthly user-level tweets, 50,000 app-level tweets, 10,000 read-limit tweets, 2 app IDs, and a Twitter login. It costs $100 monthly.
- Pro: “Startups scaling their business” can pay $5,000 monthly for rate-limited access to a suite of v2 endpoints with search and filtered streams. Moreover, the Pro plan offers 1,000,000 app-level tweets, 300,000 app-level tweets, three app IDs, and a Twitter login.
- Enterprise: Large corporations should choose the Enterprise plan for complete streams and a dedicated account team. However, you must contact Twitter directly for more details.
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📣 Calling all start-ups 📣
Today we are launching our new access tier, Twitter API Pro!
Experiment, build, and scale your business with 1M Tweets per month, including our powerful real-time Filtered/Stream and Full Archive Search endpoints. We look forward to seeing what you…
— Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) May 25, 2023
Small businesses and developers have been voicing concerns regarding the Pro plan. They’ve wanted Twitter to release an API, but they believe $5,000 is excessive.
They could opt for the Basic plan, but it lacks too many features for practical business purposes. Still, you should consider this program due to its applications.
What can you do with Twitter API?
This program lets you execute tasks for thousands of users. Also, you can create bots, an important skill as AI chatbots become popular. Learn more about its applications:
- Respond to tweets with the status/update POST endpoint, which works like sending regular tweets.
- Search tweets with a specific hashtag via the search/tweets GET endpoint.
- Identify online trends using the trends/place GET endpoint. However, you must get the Yahoo! Where On Earth ID (WOEID) for your location to execute this feature.
- Create bots like TweetBot to arrange messages chronologically instead of following an algorithm.
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Conclusion
Twitter API enables businesses to harness the social platform’s data. You may try the Free tier to test it, then get the paid subscription plans once you become accustomed to it.
This software requires an understanding of these programming languages: Java, JavaScript (Node.JS), Ruby, and Objective-C. Discuss adopting this technology with your IT staff for the best results.
Do you want to know more about APIs and other software? Follow Inquirer for the latest tips and trends regarding computer programs, artificial intelligence, and more.
Frequently asked questions about Twitter API
Should I use Twitter API?
Using the Twitter API, you can build applications that interact with Twitter, access and analyze Twitter data, post tweets, retrieve user information, and much more. It enables you to create customized solutions, integrate Twitter features into your applications, and develop innovative tools leveraging Twitter’s vast dataset.
Do I need to pay for Twitter API?
You can use the API for free, but you will have severely limited features. If you are a programmer, try using the Basic plan, which costs $100 monthly. Also, businesses should consider using the Pro plan, which costs $5,000 monthly. Large corporations must contact Twitter for the Enterprise plan.
What programming languages should I use with the Twitter API?
You must know how to use Java, JavaScript, Objective-C, and Ruby for Twitter API. The latter is especially important because you cannot get the software without it. You should consult an IT professional about integrating your systems with Twitter properly. Alternatively, you can learn these programming languages for free online.
