Integrating dictionary API in Android app: Troubleshooting 403 error

Other Questions RapidAPI
1

I’m working on my final year project and I’m stuck trying to add a dictionary API to my Android app. When I run the code I get a 403 Forbidden error. Here’s what I’ve done so far:

  1. Set up OkHttpClient
  2. Created a request with headers
  3. Tried to handle the response

But I keep getting this error:

java.io.IOException: Unexpected code Response{protocol=http/1.1, code=403, message=Forbidden, url=https://example-api.com/word_example/?entry=test}

I’m not sure if the problem is with my API key or something else in my code. Here’s a simplified version of what I’m trying:

OkHttpClient client = new OkHttpClient();

Request request = new Request.Builder()
    .url('https://example-api.com/word_example/?entry=test')
    .get()
    .addHeader('x-api-host', 'example-api.com')
    .addHeader('x-api-key', 'my-api-key')
    .build();

client.newCall(request).enqueue(new Callback() {
    @Override
    public void onFailure(Request request, IOException e) {
        Log.d('DEBUG', 'Request failed');
        e.printStackTrace();
    }

    @Override
    public void onResponse(Response response) throws IOException {
        if (!response.isSuccessful()) {
            throw new IOException('Unexpected code ' + response);
        }
        // Handle successful response
    }
});

Any ideas on what might be causing this 403 error? I’ve double-checked my API key but I’m not sure what else to try. This is my first time working with APIs in Android, so I’m a bit lost. Any help would be really appreciated!

2

I have encountered similar issues when integrating APIs into Android apps. A 403 Forbidden error usually means there is an authentication problem. It is important to check that your API key is correct and active, and that you are using HTTPS rather than HTTP. You might also need to verify that all required authentication headers or parameters are included. In some cases the issue can be related to rate limits or restrictions based on the User-Agent string. If the problem persists, contacting the API provider for further troubleshooting could be helpful.

3

hey dude, 403 errors r the worst! have u tried clearing ur app’s cache? sometimes that helps. also, check if ur using the latest version of the API. they might’ve changed smthing. if nothin works, try hittin up their support team. they usually kno whats up. good luck with ur project!

4

Hey there, I feel your pain with API integration! I ran into a similar 403 headache last semester. Have you double-checked that your API key is still active? Sometimes they expire without warning. Also, make sure you’re not hitting any rate limits - I once spent hours debugging only to realize I’d maxed out my free tier requests.

Another thing to watch out for is the API endpoint URL. I’ve been bitten by typos or outdated documentation before. It might be worth triple-checking that ‘https://example-api.com/word_example/’ is actually the correct endpoint for the dictionary API you’re using.

If none of that helps, you might want to try using a tool like Postman to test the API requests outside your Android app. That way, you can isolate whether it’s a code issue or an API access problem. Good luck with your project!