Goodreads retiring API

Freakeao · 12-14-2020, 02:15 PM

https://www.goodreads.com/api

Note on the top of the page.

Quote:

As of December 8th 2020, Goodreads is no longer issuing new developer keys for our public developer API and plans to retire these tools.

How will this affect plugins that pull data from goodreads.com? Are they currently using the API or screen scraping?

capink · 12-14-2020, 02:30 PM

The main casualty will be the Goodreads Sync plugin. Below is the response from David who has —thankfully— done the recent work of keeping the plugin alive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Unfortunately, it will kill the plugin. Most the plugin uses the API. If it is removed, it will need to be rewritten to do screen-scraping. And honestly, I'm not sure if I will bother.

I haven't used the plugin in a very long time, but I suspect screen-scraping is not a viable option to cover all the functionality of the plugin, assuming someone is willing to put in the work.

I don't know of any other plugin that uses the API besides Goodreads Sync.

If Goodreads Sync is the only plugin that uses the API, I think this should be moved to the plugin's thread.

ownedbycats · 12-14-2020, 02:35 PM

That's unfortunate. I use the Goodreads plugin quite a lot. At least I can still open the browser and manually look up the ISBN.

Freakeao · 12-14-2020, 02:47 PM

I use Goodreads metadata plugin and Goodreads more tags. Sounds like those should be ok then.

capink · 12-14-2020, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

That's unfortunate. I use the Goodreads plugin quite a lot. At least I can still open the browser and manually look up the ISBN.

The goodreads metadata source plugin most probably uses screen-scraping and will not be affected by this. That is different from the Goodreads Sync Plugin.

ownedbycats · 12-14-2020, 02:50 PM

Oh, that's a relief. Brain's clearly not working entirely today.

JSWolf · 12-14-2020, 03:26 PM

I contacted Goodreads about the API and received the following reply.

Quote:

Hi there,

Thanks for writing in. As of December 8th 2020, Goodreads will no longer issue new developer keys for our public developer API and plans to retire these tools. Goodreads has therefore deactivated API keys not used in the last 30 days, and will be assessing the value of APIs to determine support in the future.

If you wish to provide feedback on this change, please complete the developer API survey here. Please let us know if you have additional questions.

Here is the link to the Goodreads developer API survey. If you use the API, please take the survey. https://goodreads.co1.qualtrics.com/...ZZ0AugJkBCSZ1P

ownedbycats · 12-14-2020, 04:28 PM

"will be assessing the value of APIs..." sounds like they want to turn it paid.

dunhill · 12-14-2020, 06:22 PM

And since I buy it amazon it is feasible that they think to make it payment.
I really use the goodreads plugin a lot, hopefully it doesn't die or we can make a donation to keep it alive.

PeterT · 12-14-2020, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I contacted Goodreads about the API and received the following reply.

Here is the link to the Goodreads developer API survey. If you use the API, please take the survey. https://goodreads.co1.qualtrics.com/...ZZ0AugJkBCSZ1P

I think you'll find that URL was personalized for Jon

davidfor · 12-14-2020, 08:53 PM

Just to be clear:

The Goodreads Metadata Source plugin does not use the Goodreads API. It mainly scrapes the page but does use a search API. This is the same as used by the GR for searches. It will not be affected by the API being removed.

The Goodreads Sync plugin makes heavy use of the API. It would be very broken if the API is removed. But, it will keep working until then. It already has a developers key and that should keep working. If the API is removed, all function using it would stop working. That would be most of the function. I do not know if it would be possible to rewrite the plugin using scraping instead.

ownedbycats · 12-14-2020, 09:09 PM

According to this article, API keys that were unused for 30 days were deactivated without warning.

thiago.eec · 12-15-2020, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Just to be clear:

The Goodreads Metadata Source plugin does not use the Goodreads API. It mainly scrapes the page but does use a search API. This is the same as used by the GR for searches. It will not be affected by the API being removed.

The Goodreads Sync plugin makes heavy use of the API. It would be very broken if the API is removed. But, it will keep working until then. It already has a developers key and that should keep working. If the API is removed, all function using it would stop working. That would be most of the function. I do not know if it would be possible to rewrite the plugin using scraping instead.

When I decided to create a Sync plugin to Skoob (a Brazilian website similar to Goodreads), I used Goodreads Sync as a starting model. But Skoob haven't shared their API, so I had to use scraping.

I don't know about the structure of Goodreads website, but it was fairly simple to get data from Skoob.

Skoob Sync can:

- Sync reading progress, status date, rating, and reviews with Skoob
- Get the book page count
- Get User defined tags
- Get book media type (physical or digital)
- Add/remove books to/from your Skoob account
- Add, remove and reorganize books in your shelves
- Add book to Reading Goal
- Get the Read Date (when the book was finished)
- Import your Library from Skoob to calibre (create empty books, with cover and basic metadata but no format)

12-14-2020, 02:50 PM	#6
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 10,969 Karma: 75337983 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	Oh, that's a relief. Brain's clearly not working entirely today. Last edited by ownedbycats; 12-14-2020 at 03:04 PM.

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12-14-2020, 02:35 PM	#3
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 10,969 Karma: 75337983 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	That's unfortunate. I use the Goodreads plugin quite a lot. At least I can still open the browser and manually look up the ISBN.

12-14-2020, 02:47 PM	#4
Freakeao Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: none	I use Goodreads metadata plugin and Goodreads more tags. Sounds like those should be ok then.

12-14-2020, 04:28 PM	#8
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 10,969 Karma: 75337983 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	"will be assessing the value of APIs..." sounds like they want to turn it paid.

12-14-2020, 06:22 PM	#9
dunhill Guru Posts: 892 Karma: 810834 Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Device: moon+ reader, kindle paperwhite	And since I buy it amazon it is feasible that they think to make it payment. I really use the goodreads plugin a lot, hopefully it doesn't die or we can make a donation to keep it alive.

12-14-2020, 08:53 PM	#11
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Just to be clear: The Goodreads Metadata Source plugin does not use the Goodreads API. It mainly scrapes the page but does use a search API. This is the same as used by the GR for searches. It will not be affected by the API being removed. The Goodreads Sync plugin makes heavy use of the API. It would be very broken if the API is removed. But, it will keep working until then. It already has a developers key and that should keep working. If the API is removed, all function using it would stop working. That would be most of the function. I do not know if it would be possible to rewrite the plugin using scraping instead.

12-14-2020, 09:09 PM	#12
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 10,969 Karma: 75337983 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	According to this article, API keys that were unused for 30 days were deactivated without warning.

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