The App GardenCreate an App API Documentation Feeds What is the App Garden? |
What is the App Garden?
Flickr has an open Application Programming Interface (API for short). This means that anyone can write their own program to present public Flickr data (like photos, video, tags, profiles or groups) in new and different ways. The App Garden is a place where developers can showcase the applications they've created and where you can find new ways to explore Flickr.
For our members
Did you ever want to download all your photos on Flickr? Or see all images that have your favorite shade of pink? Or find new ways to upload your content? You can do that and much much more. We’d like to think of all the cool bits on Flickr as seeds for beautiful and inspirational interactions when given the right care from our awesome developer community. See what is growing in the App Garden!
For developers
It's simple to create an application!
- Apply for a key
- Receive the key ID and secret.
- Start building your application using the list of available API methods.
- When your app is ready to use, publish an app page within the App Garden.
- The App Garden is not a place for your personal portfolio, group website, business services, or for any applications which you have not created yourself.
The following API Guidelines are here to help you understand how to play nice when using the Flickr API methods. Don't forget that your use of Flickr is subject to these Guidelines, the Community Guidelines, the API Terms of Use and the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
What to do
- Read the Community Guidelines and API Terms of Use. These are more than just guidelines and agreements. Reading these will help you design your app (and not have to re-design it later) by letting you know what you can and can't do with the images and data on Flickr.
- Respect the rights of photo owners. The API is a very powerful tool giving you access to millions of photos by people passionate about their images. When designing your app make sure you respect the licenses and permissions set by the member. Not respecting these is the fastest way to get in trouble.
- Encourage participation on Flickr. It’s cool that you use Flickr to showcase wonderful content, but it’s more awesome to become a part of the extended community.
- Make sure you link the photos and videos that appear in your app back to Flickr.
- Double check Creative Commons licenses. Be sure to use the correct license with proper attribution for all content.
What not to do... ever
- The App Garden is to showcase applications that developers have built which provide utility to enhance the Flickr experience. If you are using an API key to power an application that someone else has built or that simply displays your own or your group’s photos, please do not create an app page in the App Garden.
- Don't share your API key. You can find your API Key on your app page. It is only visible to you regardless of whether you've made your app page private or public. If you suspect that your API key has been compromised, you can disable it at any time on your app page.
- Don't replicate the essential Flickr user experience. This means things like duplicating comments, group discussions and favoriting within your app.
- Don't use the Flickr logo and brandmarks. This can only be done with express permission from Flickr.
- Don't abuse or overtax the API. This means that if you build an app that excessively strains the Flickr servers, we will expire your key per the API Terms of Use.
Questions?
- Review the API Terms of Use and our Community Guidelines.
- Review our FAQ.