I came across a cool movie catalog app that pulls information from IMDB’s movie database. The app shows movie titles, ratings, cast info, and other details that look like they come straight from IMDB.
I’m wondering if IMDB has an official API that developers can use to get this kind of data. If not, are there any reliable third-party services or unofficial APIs that provide similar movie information? I’d like to build something similar but want to make sure I’m using the right approach to access movie data legally and efficiently.
yeah, imdb killed their official api. I’ve been using rapidapi’s imdb alternative for my side project - it’s pretty solid, but you’ll hit a paywall after the free tier. if you just need posters and artwork, check out fanart.tv.
IMDB discontinued their public API several years back, which left many developers seeking alternatives. The Movie Database (TMDb) offers a reliable free API that provides extensive movie data including cast information, ratings, and posters, and it has strong documentation. Additionally, the OMDb API can be used, but it’s a paid service for higher usage that accesses IMDB data. From my experience with TMDb, their rate limits are quite sufficient for most applications, but it’s important to comply with their terms by caching requests to avoid unnecessary server load. Both APIs require a quick registration process to get started.
I encountered a similar challenge while developing a film app last year. Although IMDB has discontinued their public API, they still provide datasets through their data dumps for those needing bulk information for research purposes. For most app needs, I transitioned to the Open Movie Database (OMDb) API, which sources data from IMDB but requires an API key after exceeding the free tier. Additionally, the JustWatch API is excellent for streaming content, while TMDb reliably supplies comprehensive movie details. One key takeaway is to thoroughly review the terms of service, as certain APIs may restrict commercial usage. Caching requests is also essential to avoid exceeding rate limits and to maintain user experience.