LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 800 million members worldwide. As one of the most popular social media platforms for business purposes, LinkedIn provides numerous opportunities for developers. One of the key ways developers can integrate with LinkedIn is through their comprehensive APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).
Overview of LinkedIn APIs
LinkedIn currently offers several different APIs that enable developers to access LinkedIn data and build LinkedIn-integrated applications. Here are some of the main LinkedIn APIs available:
- LinkedIn Login API – Enables app users to sign in with their LinkedIn account
- People API – Provides access to LinkedIn profile data
- Jobs API – Lets you post jobs and search LinkedIn jobs programmatically
- Ads API – Allows you manage LinkedIn ad campaigns and accounts
- Groups API – Lets you integrate LinkedIn Groups functionality into an app
- Companies API – Provides access to company data on LinkedIn
- Search API – Enables searching LinkedIn member profiles and posts
- Share API – Allows sharing content on LinkedIn by your app users
LinkedIn has provided these APIs to enable many different potential uses cases. For example, an app could use the APIs to let users sign in with LinkedIn, access their professional network, share content, search jobs, and more. The APIs provide powerful capabilities to integrate the LinkedIn platform into web and mobile apps.
Key Capabilities of LinkedIn APIs
Here are some of the key things that developers can do with LinkedIn APIs:
- Access profile data – Name, photo, headline, experience, education, skills, etc.
- Share content – Post articles, images, videos, etc.
- Build social apps – Interact with LinkedIn network and feeds
- Enable sign in with LinkedIn – For web/mobile apps and websites
- Search jobs and post jobs – Programmatic access to LinkedIn jobs
- Retrieve company information – Details like description, followers, etc.
- Manage ads – Create, manage, and optimize LinkedIn ad campaigns
- Analyze audience data – Get insights into audience demographics and preferences
These capabilities demonstrate the diverse options available with LinkedIn APIs. Developers can utilize these APIs for a wide variety of use cases like building recruiting and job search tools, creating business/networking apps, integrating social sharing, developing personalized marketing platforms, and more.
Authentication for LinkedIn APIs
To start using any LinkedIn APIs, developers first need to register an app within LinkedIn to obtain API keys. There are two types of authentication available for LinkedIn APIs:
- User authentication – Apps request permissions from users to access their LinkedIn data. This uses the standard OAuth 2.0 protocol.
- Application authentication – Apps use their own credentials to access some LinkedIn APIs without needing user authorization. This uses an app ID and app secret key.
For example, the People API and Share API require user authentication to access individual user profiles and make posts on behalf of users. But other APIs like jobs and companies can be accessed via application authentication only.
LinkedIn provides SDKs (software development kits) for various programming languages like JavaScript, .NET, Java, Python, Ruby, etc. These SDKs handle OAuth flows and authentication tokens to make it easier for developers to connect with LinkedIn APIs.
Most Popular LinkedIn APIs for Developers
While LinkedIn offers many different APIs, some of the most popular ones include:
API | Overview | Use Cases |
---|---|---|
People API | Access profile data of logged in users | Enabling social features, personalized recommendations |
Jobs API | Programmatic posting of jobs and searching candidates | Building recruiting/hiring tools |
Share API | Posting content to LinkedIn and user feeds | Social sharing, content marketing |
These APIs provide the capabilities needed for many common LinkedIn integrations. The People API enables accessing the authenticated user’s professional network and profile data. The Jobs API facilitates posting job listings and searching for potential candidates. The Share API allows users to easily share content on LinkedIn through an app.
People API
The LinkedIn People API provides access to profile data of users who connect their LinkedIn account. It requires user authentication via OAuth 2.0.
With the People API, developers can retrieve information like:
- General profile details – headline, photo, locations, etc.
- Work experience information
- Educational background
- Skills listed on profile
- Connections, groups, and shared content
This profile data can be used to enable personalized experiences and social integrations. For instance, an app could look up the user’s skills and connections to make relevant recommendations. Or a recruiter tool can access work histories to evaluate candidates.
Jobs API
LinkedIn’s Jobs API allows programmatic posting of job listings and searching for potential candidates. Key capabilities include:
- Post new jobs to LinkedIn
- Manage existing job posts
- Search LinkedIn profiles and resumes for possible recruits
- Retrieve analytics on job posts and candidate searches
This API facilitates building recruiting and hiring tools integrated with LinkedIn. Instead of needing to post jobs or source candidates manually on LinkedIn, the Jobs API enables automating these tasks. For example, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) could auto-post open roles to LinkedIn using this API.
Share API
The Share API allows users to share content on LinkedIn including:
- Articles
- Images
- Videos
- Profile updates
Developers can enable users to easily share content from their app to LinkedIn with pre-populated content. This facilitates content distribution and social engagement.
For instance, a marketing analytics app could auto-generate reports and allow users to share those reports on their LinkedIn profile. Or an educational site could let users share interesting articles with their professional network to showcase thought leadership.
Use Cases and Examples
LinkedIn APIs open up many possibilities for developers. Here are some examples of how LinkedIn APIs can be utilized:
Recruiting Tools
HR tech and recruiting platforms use LinkedIn APIs to integrate LinkedIn data into their own workflows. For instance, an applicant tracking system could use the Jobs API to automatically post openings to LinkedIn. Recruiters can also use the People API to lookup candidate profiles and evaluate their skills and experience.
Marketing Analytics
Marketing analytics software can integrate LinkedIn advertising data using the Ads API. This enables monitoring LinkedIn ad performance from within their own dashboards. The Share API also allows enabling easy sharing of generated reports on LinkedIn.
Business/Networking Apps
Apps focused on business networking can utilize several LinkedIn APIs. The People API provides access to professional connections. Apps can also integrate sharing via the Share API and Groups API to leverage users’ networks.
Social Media Management
Social media management platforms can use LinkedIn APIs to integrate LinkedIn posting and monitoring features. This enables managing LinkedIn Pages and profiles alongside other social platforms.
Sales Intelligence Software
Sales teams can use LinkedIn APIs like People Search and Companies to getbackground on prospects from LinkedIn. This powers social selling and outreach capabilities from CRMs and sales engagement platforms.
API Request Limits
Like most APIs, LinkedIn also enforces request limits to ensure availability and prevent abuse. The specific limits depend on the API and authentication method used. Here are some examples of LinkedIn API rate limits:
API | Rate Limit |
---|---|
People API | 200 requests per hour |
Share API | 100 requests per hour |
Search API | 300 requests per hour |
Jobs API | 200 requests per hour |
Higher rate limits are available for some APIs by requesting elevated access. Usage is tracked based on the app ID associated with the API calls.
When a rate limit is exceeded, the LinkedIn APIs return an HTTP 429 error (Too Many Requests). It’s important for developers to implement proper error handling and retry logic when consuming LinkedIn APIs.
LinkedIn API Documentation and Resources
LinkedIn provides developers with extensive documentation and resources to build with their APIs:
- API reference – Detailed technical docs for each API
- GitHub projects – Official SDKs and code samples
- Blog posts – Announcements and guides from LinkedIn
- Showcase – Examples of apps using LinkedIn APIs
- Forums/Answers – Get help from the developer community
For new developers, LinkedIn’s getting started guides and introductory materials are very useful. They also provide interactive API explorers to test out requests without any coding.
Overall, LinkedIn wants to enable developers to build engaging applications leveraging their platform. So they offer in-depth resources and support channels for API developers.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn provides robust and powerful APIs that open up many integration and development possibilities. Key highlights include:
- Diverse APIs available for social, jobs, advertising, content sharing, and more
- Flexible authentication options – via user login or app credentials
- Rich profile data can be leveraged to build personalized experiences
- APIs facilitate creating native LinkedIn integrations for recruiting, marketing, sales, and other use cases
- Extensive documentation and SDKs to accelerate developing with LinkedIn
Any developer looking to integrate the world’s largest professional network into their applications should thoroughly evaluate LinkedIn’s array of APIs. The capabilities provide nearly endless options for building engaging LinkedIn-powered apps across many different verticals and use cases.