Looking for IMDB API access options
I came across this cool movie management app that pulls all its movie information from IMDB. It got me wondering about how they actually get this data.
Does IMDB have their own official API that developers can use? Or are there alternative third-party services that provide similar movie database information?
I’m working on a personal project and need to access movie details like ratings, cast info, plot summaries, and release dates. Would love to know what options are out there for getting this kind of data programmatically.
Any suggestions or experiences with different movie data APIs would be really helpful!
yep, IMDB shut down their public API, which totally blows. i’ve been using OMDb for a bit, it’s legit for basic movie info. The charge is around $1 per 1000 requests after the free tier. TMDb is free but has a different rating system than IMDB, just so you know.
IMDB discontinued their public API several years ago, and now that they are owned by Amazon, they provide limited access through their services. However, there are some good alternatives available for personal projects. I recommend The Movie Database (TMDb) API, which is user-friendly and well-documented, providing all the essential details like ratings, cast information, plot summaries, and release dates. The free tier is sufficient for most personal projects. Additionally, there’s the Open Movie Database (OMDb), but it requires an API key once you exceed certain request limits. Both options are reliable and offer regular updates, though TMDb typically has more extensive information and community support.
IMDB killed their public API, which sucks for developers. I hit this same wall building a film recommendation engine last year. Here’s what worked: I combined TMDb for movie data and posters with Rotten Tomatoes’ unofficial endpoints for extra ratings. Just heads up - these alternatives use different rating algorithms than IMDB, so you’ll see some differences. TMDb should handle everything you need though. Their docs are solid and response times are fast. Don’t forget to add caching - you’ll hit rate limits quick if you’re hammering the API during development.