1990 Web Archive

Authentication

All API requests require authentication via a Bearer token in the `Authorization` header. Generate your API key from the developer dashboard.

HTTP HeaderCopy
Authorization: Bearer your_api_key_here

Search Endpoint

GET /search

Search across the entire archive. Returns paginated results with metadata, snapshot URLs, and preview thumbnails.

cURL ExampleCopy
curl -X GET "https://api.1990archive.com/v1/search?q=geocities&year=1997" \
                        
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <API_KEY>"

Request Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
q required	string	Search query. Supports exact phrases, keywords, and URL fragments.
year	integer	Filter by archival year (1990–1999).
format	string	Content type filter: `html`, `gif`, `midi`, `all`.
limit	integer	Results per page. Max: 100. Default: 20.
offset	integer	Pagination cursor. Default: 0.

Response Format

Returns JSON with paginated results. Includes archival metadata, original URL, and rendered preview links.

JSON ResponseCopy
{

                          "total": 42891,

                          "limit": 20,

                          "offset": 0,

                          "results": [

                            {

                              "id": "arc_978234",

                              "url": "http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/7892",

                              "captured": "1997-04-12T14:22:00Z",

                              "title": "~Welcome to My Homepage~",

                              "preview": "https://cdn.1990archive.com/thumb/978234.gif"

                            }

                          ]

                    }

Rate Limits

API access is throttled based on your subscription tier. Limits reset on a rolling 60-second window.

Free

100 requests / min
5,000 requests / day

Pro

1,000 requests / min
Unlimited daily

Enterprise

Custom throughput
Dedicated endpoint

Error Codes

400

Bad Request - Invalid parameters

401

Unauthorized - Missing/invalid API key

404

Not Found - Archive ID doesn't exist

429

Too Many Requests - Rate limit exceeded

500

Server Error - Internal crawl failure

Code Samples

Integrate the archive into your applications with our official SDKs or raw HTTP.

JS Node.js Example

JavaScript / FetchCopy
const res = await fetch('https://api.1990archive.com/v1/search?q=web+ring&year=1998', {

                          headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_KEY}` }

                        });

                        const data = await res.json();

                        console.log(data.results.map(r => r.title));