Meta said today that it finally launched its much-awaited API for Threads so developers can build experiences around it. This will allow-third party developers to create new experinces around
Mark Zuckerberg sperately posted about the API launch saying “The Threads API is now widely available and coming to more of you soon.”
In a blog post, Threads engineer Jesse Chen said that with the new API, developers can publish posts, fetch their own content, and deploy reply management tools. That means developers can let users hide/unhide or respond to specific replies.
The company added that along with these features, it will also allow developers to tap into analytics with measurements such as the number of views, likes, replies, reposts, and quotes at media and account level.
In October 2023, Instagram head Adam Mosseri mentioned the company’s work on the Threads API for the first time. The company launched the API in a closed beta with partners such as Sprinklr, Sprout Social, Social News Desk, Hootsuite, tech news board Techmeme and a few other developers. At that time, Chen said that Meta plans to make the API widely available to developers in June. The company has delivered on the promise.
With the new API launch, the company has also released a refernece open-source app on GitHub for developers to play around.
Third-party developers building social networking tools faced a tough 2023 with social networks like Twitter (now X) and Reddit restricting or shutting down API access at different levels. Decentralized social networks such as Mastodon and Bluesky have taken a more developer friendly approach. But Meta’s Threads is the biggest new social network with more than 150 million usres. With Threads integrating with the fediverse and releasing an API gives chance to third-party developers to build some great social media experinces.