AniDB offers a number of different ways in which you can obtain or modify specific data. Feel free to drop by on IRC if you have any questions or simply don't know where to start.

Core Services

UDP API

The UDP API is a public UDP based read/write API which can be used to obtain information about specific files and database entries. This API is the best choice for all file related activities as well as for many others.

If you're new to the AniDB APIs, we recommend that you take a look at the UDP API first.

more: UDP API Definition, UDP API DEV, UDP Clients, WebAOM

HTTP API (limited)

Provides read-only access to a limited subset of the AniDB database via HTTP requests.

Currently this is only interesting for people interested in non-file/episode related information for a specific anime.

more: HTTP API Definition

TCP API (private)

The TCP API is a special, private API which provides access to partial copies of the AniDB database for off-line use.

Access to the TCP API is only provided on request and with restrictions. Please contact EXP or Der Idiot on AniDB for additional information. Note that if you consider developing a TCP Client you will have to put up with in memory en- and decryption of data streams and no data is ever to be allowed to put unencrypted on HDD.

Currently the only available TCP API Client is AOM.

Data Dumps

Anime Titles

AniDB offers a daily updated dump of all anime titles which can be used to support client sided anime search features.

This file can also be used for anime title to AID lookups.

http://anidb.net/api/anime-titles.dat.gz

YOU DO NOT REQUEST THIS FILE MORE THAN ONCE PER DAY*

http://anidb.net/api/anime-titles.xml.gz

YOU DO NOT REQUEST THIS FILE MORE THAN ONCE PER DAY*

Alternatively there is a ready to use search using these dumps available by a third party: http://anisearch.outrance.pl/ (Thanks to eloyard)

Additional Resources

MyList Export

A user can export his entire MyList in different formats. Among the supported formats is an XML export. This approach can be used to retrieve and import a large amount of data on files, episodes and anime which are part of the anime collection of a specific user. This is therefore a very good first step to obtain a local data set which can then be used for further work.

see: MyList export

Signature Data

The AniDB Signature Server allows user to create dynamic signature images for use in forum signatures. The corresponding data is also available in raw format in case you want to build your own system.

more: SigServer, SigServer DEV

RSS Feeds

AniDB offers regularly updated information about recently added files and user specific file notifications as RSS feeds.

more: RSSRDF

IRC Bots

There are a number of IRC bots on the SynIRC network. They can be used to interface with AniDB and provide real time information about database changes.

more: IRC:Chii, IRC:Lafiel

Screen Scraping

We would like to ask you not to parse the AniDB html data directly for data extraction purposes. If your requirements are not covered by the APIs and resources available so far, please feel free to contact us directly.

Warning

Issuing too many HTTP requests will get you banned. Aside of that you are causing unnecessary stress on our servers.