mw api

Watch it in action

Query a local wiki API

mw api <endpoint-or-url> [flags]

Make a REST request relative to https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/, or supply an absolute HTTP(S) URL. JSON is indented and coloured in a terminal and compact when piped. Other response bodies are printed unchanged. Requests return a failing exit status for HTTP errors. No credentials are added automatically.

Fields are strings: they form a JSON body and select POST by default, or query parameters with –method GET. Use –input FILE (or - for stdin) for a custom body, and –header for authentication or content types.

Options

--base-url <string>

Base URL for relative endpoints Default: https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/.

-f, --field <stringArray>

String field as name=value (repeatable)

--format <string>

Format the specified output

-H, --header <stringArray>

Request header as 'Name: value' (repeatable)

-i, --include

Include the response status and headers

--input <string>

Request body file, or - for stdin

-X, --method <string>

HTTP method (GET, or POST when --field/--input is provided)

-o, --output <string>

Output format (jq|json) Default: json.

--raw

Print the response body unchanged

--timeout <duration>

HTTP request timeout Default: 20s.

Global options

--help

Help for this command

--no-interaction

Do not ask any interactive questions

-v, --verbose <count>

Increase output verbosity. Example: --verbose=2 or -vv

Examples

mw api 'metrics/pageviews/top/en.wikipedia.org/all-access/2025/01/01'
mw api 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/rest.php/v1/search/page' -X GET -f q=Earth
mw api 'metrics/pageviews/top/en.wikipedia.org/all-access/2025/01/01' --output jq --format '.items[0].articles[:5]'
mw api 'https://example.org/api/resource' -X POST --input request.json -H 'Content-Type: application/json'

See also

• mw