1. User Authentication and Authorization API

Instagram’s API allows users to authenticate and authorize third-party applications to access their data securely.

a. Login API

• Purpose: This API allows users to log in to Instagram through OAuth authentication. Once users authorize the application, they can access their Instagram account programmatically.

• Key Features:

• • OAuth2 Authentication: Allows users to sign in with their Instagram credentials securely without sharing their passwords.

  • Access Tokens: After a user logs in, an access token is generated, which is used to authenticate further requests to Instagram’s API.

b. User Profile API

• Purpose: This API allows the retrieval and management of user profile data.

• Endpoints:

  • GET /users/self: Returns the authenticated user’s details (username, profile picture, etc.).

  • GET /users/{user_id}: Fetches the profile of any user by their user ID.

• Usage: This can be used by third-party applications to display user profile information and offer a personalized experience.

2. Content Creation and Media Upload APIs

These APIs allow users to upload, edit, and manage their photos and videos.

a. Upload Media API

• Purpose: Enables users to upload photos and videos to their Instagram profile.

• Endpoints:

  • POST /media/upload: Uploads a new photo or video to Instagram.

• Usage: Third-party apps can use this API to allow users to upload images or videos directly to their Instagram accounts from external platforms or apps.

b. Media Edit API

• Purpose: After uploading, users might want to edit their photos or videos (e.g., cropping, applying filters).

• Endpoints:

• • POST /media/{media_id}/edit: Allows edits like adding filters, captions, or rotating content.

c. Create a Post API

• Purpose: This API is used to create a post on the user’s feed with an image or video.

• Endpoints:

  • POST /media/{media_id}/publish: Publishes the media content uploaded previously to the user’s feed.

• Usage: This allows users to schedule or publish content programmatically, which is useful for marketing platforms or content scheduling tools.

3. Interaction and Social APIs

Instagram allows users to interact with posts and with other users, such as liking, commenting, and following.

a. Like/Unlike Media API

• Purpose: Allows users to like or unlike posts.

• Endpoints:

  • POST /media/{media_id}/likes: Likes a media post.

  • DELETE /media/{media_id}/likes: Unlikes a media post.

• Usage: This is used for interaction tracking and analytics purposes, allowing apps to track user engagement and provide recommendations.

b. Comment on Media API

• Purpose: Allows users to post comments on media (photos or videos).

• Endpoints:

  • POST /media/{media_id}/comments: Adds a comment to a specific post.

  • DELETE /media/{media_id}/comments/{comment_id}: Deletes a specific comment.

• Usage: This API is crucial for social media applications that analyze or aggregate user interactions.

c. Follow/Unfollow API

• Purpose: Allows users to follow or unfollow other users.

• Endpoints:

  • POST /users/{user_id}/relationship: Follows a user.

  • DELETE /users/{user_id}/relationship: Unfollows a user.

• Usage: This API can be used by social media management tools to automate following/unfollowing activities for user engagement.

4. Stories API

Instagram Stories are short-lived posts that disappear after 24 hours. APIs are available for creating, viewing, and interacting with stories.

a. Create Story API

• Purpose: Allows users to upload photos and videos that will appear as Instagram Stories.

• Endpoints:

  • POST /media/{media_id}/stories: Creates a new story from uploaded media.

• Usage: This API can be used by third-party tools to schedule and upload stories, as well as integrate Instagram Stories into custom applications.

b. View Stories API

• Purpose: Allows users to view stories from others or to track views of their own stories.

• Endpoints:

• • GET /stories/{story_id}/views: Retrieves who has viewed a particular story.

5. Explore and Search API

This API allows users to search for content or explore new media based on hashtags, user profiles, or interests.

a. Search Hashtags API

• Purpose: Allows users to search for media posts under a specific hashtag.

• Endpoints:

  • GET /tags/{hashtag}/media/recent: Retrieves recent media posts associated with a specific hashtag.

• Usage: This API helps explore content through hashtags and can be used for analytics tools to track trending hashtags.

b. Search Users API

• Purpose: Allows users to search for other Instagram users.

• Endpoints:

  • GET /users/search?q={query}: Retrieves users matching the search query (e.g., username).

• Usage: This is essential for apps that build user directories or search features.

6. Analytics and Insights API

Instagram provides data about media performance (likes, comments, shares) through its Analytics API. This is useful for brands and businesses to analyze content engagement.

a. Media Insights API

• Purpose: Allows retrieving performance metrics for a particular post.

• Endpoints:

  • GET /media/{media_id}/insights: Retrieves insights such as the number of likes, comments, shares, reach, and impressions for a specific media item.

• Usage: Businesses and marketers use this to track post performance and adjust strategies accordingly.

b. User Insights API

• Purpose: This API returns data about user activity and engagement over time.

• Endpoints:

  • GET /users/self/insights: Retrieves insights about user interactions, including followers gained, posts made, etc.

• Usage: This helps content creators track their performance and understand their audience better.

7. Push Notifications API

Push notifications are crucial for keeping users engaged and informed about new activity, such as likes, comments, and new followers.

a. Notification Subscription API

• Purpose: Allows users to subscribe to notifications based on specific activities.

• Endpoints:

  • POST /users/self/subscriptions: Allows users to subscribe to push notifications for different activities.

• Usage: This API helps keep users updated in real-time with alerts about engagement on their posts, messages, and more.

8. Instagram Shopping API

Instagram allows businesses to sell directly from their posts. The Instagram Shopping API enables integration with e-commerce platforms.

a. Product Catalog API

• Purpose: Enables businesses to manage their product catalog directly from Instagram.

• Endpoints:

  • POST /catalogs: Uploads and manages products for Instagram Shopping.

  • GET /products: Retrieves information about products available for sale through Instagram Shopping.

• Usage: This API supports businesses that want to integrate their product catalog and facilitate transactions through Instagram.

Summary for Students:

• Authentication APIs allow secure login and user management.
• Media Upload APIs enable content creation, posting, and editing.
• Interaction APIs enable users to interact with posts (like, comment, follow).
• Stories API allows for managing Instagram Stories.
• Explore/Search APIs let users find content and other users.
• Analytics APIs provide performance data for media and user engagement.
• Push Notification APIs help deliver real-time notifications to users.
• Instagram Shopping APIs enable e-commerce integration.