DigitalNZ API
digitalnz · Data
OpenAPI specification of DigitalNZ's Record API. For more information about the API see [digitalnz.org/developers](https://digitalnz.org/developers). To learn more about the metadata/fields used in the API see the [Metadata Dictionary](https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1Z3I_ckQWjnQQ4SzpORbClcIXUheO-Jd4jt-oZFuMcoQ). To get a sense of what content is available via the API take a look at the search feature on the [DigitalNZ website](https://digitalnz.org/records?text=all%20sorts&tab=Ima
Authentication
No authentication requiredFree to use with no key needed.
Sample Requests
GET
Run queries against DigitalNZ metadata search service.
This is the main search endpoint allowing queries against the records database.
https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records.{format}?page=1&sort=syndication_date&text=example&facets=example&fields=example&geo_bbox=example&per_page=20&and[date]=example&and[year]=example&direction=asc&and[decade]=example&facets_page=null&and[century]=example&and[title][]=example&and[usage][]=Share&and[format][]=example&and[creator][]=example&and[dc_type][]=example&and[subject][]=example&and[category][]=Newspapers&facets_per_page=10&and[has_lat_lng]=true&and[placename][]=example&and[collection][]=example&and[content_partner][]=example&and[is_commercial_use]=true&without[{filter_field}]=example&and[or][{filter_field}][]=example&and[primary_collection][]=example&exclude_filters_from_facets=false&and[has_large_thumbnail_url]=Y
Hover any highlighted part to learn what it does
curl -X GET "https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records.{format}?page=1&sort=syndication_date&text=example&facets=example&fields=example&geo_bbox=example&per_page=20&and[date]=example&and[year]=example&direction=asc&and[decade]=example&facets_page=null&and[century]=example&and[title][]=example&and[usage][]=Share&and[format][]=example&and[creator][]=example&and[dc_type][]=example&and[subject][]=example&and[category][]=Newspapers&facets_per_page=10&and[has_lat_lng]=true&and[placename][]=example&and[collection][]=example&and[content_partner][]=example&and[is_commercial_use]=true&without[{filter_field}]=example&and[or][{filter_field}][]=example&and[primary_collection][]=example&exclude_filters_from_facets=false&and[has_large_thumbnail_url]=Y"import requests
params = {
"page": "1",
"sort": "syndication_date",
"text": "example",
"facets": "example",
"fields": "example",
"geo_bbox": "example",
"per_page": "20",
"and[date]": "example",
"and[year]": "example",
"direction": "asc",
"and[decade]": "example",
"facets_page": "null",
"and[century]": "example",
"and[title][]": "example",
"and[usage][]": "Share",
"and[format][]": "example",
"and[creator][]": "example",
"and[dc_type][]": "example",
"and[subject][]": "example",
"and[category][]": "Newspapers",
"facets_per_page": "10",
"and[has_lat_lng]": "true",
"and[placename][]": "example",
"and[collection][]": "example",
"and[content_partner][]": "example",
"and[is_commercial_use]": "true",
"without[{filter_field}]": "example",
"and[or][{filter_field}][]": "example",
"and[primary_collection][]": "example",
"exclude_filters_from_facets": "false",
"and[has_large_thumbnail_url]": "Y"
}
response = requests.get(
"https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records.{format}",
params=params,
)
print(response.json())const url = new URL('https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records.{format}');
url.searchParams.set('page', '1');
url.searchParams.set('sort', 'syndication_date');
url.searchParams.set('text', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('facets', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('fields', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('geo_bbox', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('per_page', '20');
url.searchParams.set('and[date]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[year]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('direction', 'asc');
url.searchParams.set('and[decade]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('facets_page', 'null');
url.searchParams.set('and[century]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[title][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[usage][]', 'Share');
url.searchParams.set('and[format][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[creator][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[dc_type][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[subject][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[category][]', 'Newspapers');
url.searchParams.set('facets_per_page', '10');
url.searchParams.set('and[has_lat_lng]', 'true');
url.searchParams.set('and[placename][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[collection][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[content_partner][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[is_commercial_use]', 'true');
url.searchParams.set('without[{filter_field}]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[or][{filter_field}][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('and[primary_collection][]', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('exclude_filters_from_facets', 'false');
url.searchParams.set('and[has_large_thumbnail_url]', 'Y');
const response = await fetch(url);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);package main
import (
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
"net/url"
)
func main() {
baseURL, _ := url.Parse("https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records.{format}")
q := baseURL.Query()
q.Set("page", "1")
q.Set("sort", "syndication_date")
q.Set("text", "example")
q.Set("facets", "example")
q.Set("fields", "example")
q.Set("geo_bbox", "example")
q.Set("per_page", "20")
q.Set("and[date]", "example")
q.Set("and[year]", "example")
q.Set("direction", "asc")
q.Set("and[decade]", "example")
q.Set("facets_page", "null")
q.Set("and[century]", "example")
q.Set("and[title][]", "example")
q.Set("and[usage][]", "Share")
q.Set("and[format][]", "example")
q.Set("and[creator][]", "example")
q.Set("and[dc_type][]", "example")
q.Set("and[subject][]", "example")
q.Set("and[category][]", "Newspapers")
q.Set("facets_per_page", "10")
q.Set("and[has_lat_lng]", "true")
q.Set("and[placename][]", "example")
q.Set("and[collection][]", "example")
q.Set("and[content_partner][]", "example")
q.Set("and[is_commercial_use]", "true")
q.Set("without[{filter_field}]", "example")
q.Set("and[or][{filter_field}][]", "example")
q.Set("and[primary_collection][]", "example")
q.Set("exclude_filters_from_facets", "false")
q.Set("and[has_large_thumbnail_url]", "Y")
baseURL.RawQuery = q.Encode()
targetURL := baseURL.String()
req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", targetURL, nil)
client := &http.Client{}
resp, _ := client.Do(req)
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}require "net/http"
require "json"
uri = URI("https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records.{format}")
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form({
"page" => "1",
"sort" => "syndication_date",
"text" => "example",
"facets" => "example",
"fields" => "example",
"geo_bbox" => "example",
"per_page" => "20",
"and[date]" => "example",
"and[year]" => "example",
"direction" => "asc",
"and[decade]" => "example",
"facets_page" => "null",
"and[century]" => "example",
"and[title][]" => "example",
"and[usage][]" => "Share",
"and[format][]" => "example",
"and[creator][]" => "example",
"and[dc_type][]" => "example",
"and[subject][]" => "example",
"and[category][]" => "Newspapers",
"facets_per_page" => "10",
"and[has_lat_lng]" => "true",
"and[placename][]" => "example",
"and[collection][]" => "example",
"and[content_partner][]" => "example",
"and[is_commercial_use]" => "true",
"without[{filter_field}]" => "example",
"and[or][{filter_field}][]" => "example",
"and[primary_collection][]" => "example",
"exclude_filters_from_facets" => "false",
"and[has_large_thumbnail_url]" => "Y"
})
http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = uri.scheme == "https"
req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
res = http.request(req)
puts JSON.parse(res.body)<?php
$url = "https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records.{format}?" . http_build_query([
"page" => "1",
"sort" => "syndication_date",
"text" => "example",
"facets" => "example",
"fields" => "example",
"geo_bbox" => "example",
"per_page" => "20",
"and[date]" => "example",
"and[year]" => "example",
"direction" => "asc",
"and[decade]" => "example",
"facets_page" => "null",
"and[century]" => "example",
"and[title][]" => "example",
"and[usage][]" => "Share",
"and[format][]" => "example",
"and[creator][]" => "example",
"and[dc_type][]" => "example",
"and[subject][]" => "example",
"and[category][]" => "Newspapers",
"facets_per_page" => "10",
"and[has_lat_lng]" => "true",
"and[placename][]" => "example",
"and[collection][]" => "example",
"and[content_partner][]" => "example",
"and[is_commercial_use]" => "true",
"without[{filter_field}]" => "example",
"and[or][{filter_field}][]" => "example",
"and[primary_collection][]" => "example",
"exclude_filters_from_facets" => "false",
"and[has_large_thumbnail_url]" => "Y"
]);
$opts = ["http" => [
"method" => "GET",
]];
$ctx = stream_context_create($opts);
$res = file_get_contents($url, false, $ctx);
print_r(json_decode($res, true));
GET
The "More Like This" call returns similar records to the specified ID.
This feature returns a set of search results that are similar (ie have similar metadata) to a specific record.
https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}/more_like_this.{format}?fields=example&filtering=example&mlt_fields=example
Hover any highlighted part to learn what it does
curl -X GET "https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}/more_like_this.{format}?fields=example&filtering=example&mlt_fields=example"import requests
params = {
"fields": "example",
"filtering": "example",
"mlt_fields": "example"
}
response = requests.get(
"https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}/more_like_this.{format}",
params=params,
)
print(response.json())const url = new URL('https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}/more_like_this.{format}');
url.searchParams.set('fields', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('filtering', 'example');
url.searchParams.set('mlt_fields', 'example');
const response = await fetch(url);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);package main
import (
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
"net/url"
)
func main() {
baseURL, _ := url.Parse("https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}/more_like_this.{format}")
q := baseURL.Query()
q.Set("fields", "example")
q.Set("filtering", "example")
q.Set("mlt_fields", "example")
baseURL.RawQuery = q.Encode()
targetURL := baseURL.String()
req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", targetURL, nil)
client := &http.Client{}
resp, _ := client.Do(req)
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}require "net/http"
require "json"
uri = URI("https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}/more_like_this.{format}")
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form({
"fields" => "example",
"filtering" => "example",
"mlt_fields" => "example"
})
http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = uri.scheme == "https"
req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
res = http.request(req)
puts JSON.parse(res.body)<?php
$url = "https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}/more_like_this.{format}?" . http_build_query([
"fields" => "example",
"filtering" => "example",
"mlt_fields" => "example"
]);
$opts = ["http" => [
"method" => "GET",
]];
$ctx = stream_context_create($opts);
$res = file_get_contents($url, false, $ctx);
print_r(json_decode($res, true));
GET
View metadata associated with a single record.
If you know its `record_id` you can use this endpoint to view all metadata associated with that specific record.
https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}.{format}?fields=example
Hover any highlighted part to learn what it does
curl -X GET "https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}.{format}?fields=example"import requests
params = {
"fields": "example"
}
response = requests.get(
"https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}.{format}",
params=params,
)
print(response.json())const url = new URL('https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}.{format}');
url.searchParams.set('fields', 'example');
const response = await fetch(url);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);package main
import (
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
"net/url"
)
func main() {
baseURL, _ := url.Parse("https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}.{format}")
q := baseURL.Query()
q.Set("fields", "example")
baseURL.RawQuery = q.Encode()
targetURL := baseURL.String()
req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", targetURL, nil)
client := &http.Client{}
resp, _ := client.Do(req)
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}require "net/http"
require "json"
uri = URI("https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}.{format}")
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form({
"fields" => "example"
})
http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = uri.scheme == "https"
req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
res = http.request(req)
puts JSON.parse(res.body)<?php
$url = "https://api.apis.guru/v2/specs/digitalnz.org/3/records/{record_id}.{format}?" . http_build_query([
"fields" => "example"
]);
$opts = ["http" => [
"method" => "GET",
]];
$ctx = stream_context_create($opts);
$res = file_get_contents($url, false, $ctx);
print_r(json_decode($res, true));Postman Setup Guide
- See official documentation for authentication and setup.
What can you build with DigitalNZ API?
DigitalNZ API is a Data API. Developers commonly use data APIs for:
- enriching your app with third-party datasets
- building data pipelines and ETL workflows
- querying and searching large datasets
- powering research, analysis, and reporting tools
- syncing reference data into your own systems
No authentication required. This API is open — no signup or key needed. Ideal for quick prototypes and public-facing features. DigitalNZ API is free to use, making it a low-risk choice to experiment with.
New to APIs? Read our beginner's guide · Learn about API keys · What is REST?