Every Mastodon server exposes the same API under /api/v1; these examples use mastodon.social. Some public endpoints are open, others require login depending on the server's settings.
None for the calls below. Posting and private data need an OAuth access token from an app registered on that server.
Full reference: https://docs.joinmastodon.org/methods/
curl "https://mastodon.social/api/v1/accounts/lookup?acct=Gargron"{
"id": "1",
"username": "Gargron",
"acct": "Gargron",
"display_name": "Eugen Rochko",
"locked": false,
"bot": false,
"discoverable": true,
"indexable": true,
"group": false,
"created_at": "2016-03-16T00:00:00.000Z",
"note": "<p>Executive Strategy & Product Advisor, Founder of <span class=\"h-card\" translate=\"no\"><a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@Mastodon\" class=\"u-url mention\">@<span>Mastodon</span></a></span>. Film photography, prog metal, Dota 2. Likes all things analog. Luddite.</p>",
"url": "https://mastodon.social/@Gargron",
"uri": "https://mastodon.social/users/Gargron",
"avatar": "https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/000/000/001/original/6b2384b33799a0dd.png",
"avatar_static": "https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/000/000/001/original/6b2384b33799a0dd.png"
}curl "https://mastodon.social/api/v1/trends/statuses?limit=2"[
{
"id": "117321221128142365",
"created_at": "2026-09-23T16:09:02.000Z",
"in_reply_to_id": null,
"in_reply_to_account_id": null,
"sensitive": false,
"spoiler_text": "",
"visibility": "public",
"language": "en",
"uri": "https://framapiaf.org/users/davidrevoy/statuses/117321219590424659",
"url": "https://framapiaf.org/@davidrevoy/117321219590424659",
"replies_count": 30,
"reblogs_count": 644,
"favourites_count": 890,
"quotes_count": 6,
"edited_at": null
},
{
"id": "117321497041522352",
"created_at": "2026-09-23T17:19:35.868Z",
"in_reply_to_id": null,
"in_reply_to_account_id": null,
"sensitive": false,
"spoiler_text": "",
"visibility": "public",
"language": "en",
"uri": "https://mastodon.social/users/mntmn/statuses/117321497041522352",
"url": "https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/117321497041522352",
"replies_count": 23,
"reblogs_count": 140,
"favourites_count": 310,
"quotes_count": 0,
"edited_at": null
}
]curl https://mastodon.social/api/v2/instance{
"domain": "mastodon.social",
"title": "Mastodon",
"version": "4.8.0-alpha.3+pr-40283-7f6b1dc",
"source_url": "https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon",
"description": "The original server of Mastodon, operated by Mastodon GmbH for the common good.\r\n\r\n",
"usage": {
"users": {
"active_month": 268655
}
},
"thumbnail": {
"url": "https://files.mastodon.social/site_uploads/files/000/000/001/@1x/57c12f441d083cde.png",
"blurhash": "UeKUpFxuo~R%0nW;WCnhF6RjaJt757oJodS$",
"versions": {
"@1x": "https://files.mastodon.social/site_uploads/files/000/000/001/@1x/57c12f441d083cde.png",
"@2x": "https://files.mastodon.social/site_uploads/files/000/000/001/@2x/57c12f441d083cde.png"
},
"description": "Colourful illustration of a Mastodon (a sort of elephant) carrying a bindle and joining a group of other Mastodons. The other Mastodons have many different colours and are holding up a Welcome sign."
},
"icon": [
{
"src": "https://mastodon.social/packs/assets/android-chrome-36x36-DLiBQg3N.png",
"size": "36x36"
},
{
"src": "https://mastodon.social/packs/assets/android-chrome-48x48-C7lKWFwX.png",
"size": "48x48"
}
],
"languages": [
"en"
],
"configuration": {
"urls": {
"streaming": "wss://streaming.mastodon.social",
"status": "https://status.mastodon.social",
"about": "https://mastodon.social/about",
"privacy_policy": "https://mastodon.social/privacy-policy",
"terms_of_service": "https://mastodon.social/terms-of-service"
},
"vapid": {
"public_key": "BCk-QqERU0q-CfYZjcuB6lnyyOYfJ2AifKqfeGIm7Z-HiTU5T9eTG5GxVA0_OH5mMlI4UkkDTpaZwozy0TzdZ2M="
},
"accounts": {
"max_display_name_length": 40,
"max_note_length": 500,
"max_avatar_description_length": 150,
"max_header_description_length": 150,
"max_featured_tags": 10,
"max_pinned_statuses": 5,
"max_profile_fields": 4,
"profile_field_name_limit": 255,
"profile_field_value_limit": 255
},
"statuses": {
"max_characters": 500,
"max_media_attachments": 4,
"characters_reserved_per_url": 23
},
"media_attachments": {
"description_limit": 10000,
"image_matrix_limit": 33177600,
"image_size_limit": 16777216,
"supported_mime_types": [
"image/jpeg",
"image/png"
],
"video_frame_rate_limit": 120,
"video_matrix_limit": 8294400,
"video_size_limit": 103809024
},
"polls": {
"max_options": 4,
"max_characters_per_option": 50,
"min_expiration": 300,
"max_expiration": 2629746
},
"translation": {
"enabled": true
},
"timelines_access": {
"live_feeds": {
"local": "disabled",
"remote": "disabled"
},
"hashtag_feeds": {
"local": "public",
"remote": "public"
},
"trending_link_feeds": {
"local": "public",
"remote": "public"
}
},
"limited_federation": false
},
"registrations": {
"enabled": true,
"approval_required": false,
"reason_required": false,
"message": null,
"min_age": 16,
"url": null
},
"api_versions": {
"mastodon": 11
},
"wrapstodon": null,
"contact": {
"email": "[email protected]",
"account": {
"id": "13179",
"username": "Mastodon",
"acct": "Mastodon",
"display_name": "Mastodon",
"locked": false,
"bot": false,
"discoverable": true,
"indexable": true,
"group": false,
"created_at": "2016-11-23T00:00:00.000Z",
"url": "https://mastodon.social/@Mastodon",
"uri": "https://mastodon.social/users/Mastodon",
"avatar": "https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/000/013/179/original/b4ceb19c9c54ec7e.png",
"avatar_static": "https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/000/013/179/original/b4ceb19c9c54ec7e.png",
"avatar_description": "The Mastodon logo: a white shape of a stylised elephant head; a bold lower-case m shape is cut out, showing a soothing purple gradient."
}
},
"rules": [
{
"id": "1",
"text": "Sexually explicit or violent media must be marked as sensitive or with a content warning",
"hint": "This includes content that is particularly provocative even if it may not show specific body parts, as well as dead bodies, bloody injuries, and other gore. Particularly obscene content may be prohibited entirely. Profile pictures and header images may not contain sexually explicit or violent media.",
"translations": {
"de": {
"text": "Sexuell explizite Darstellungen oder solche von Gewalt müssen mit einer Inhaltswarnung versehen werden."
},
"es": {
"text": "El contenido sexual explícito o violento debe marcarse como sensible o con una advertencia de contenido."
},
"fr": {
"text": "Le contenu érotique, pornographique ou violent doit être marqué comme sensible ou avoir un avertissement de contenu."
},
"nl": {
"text": "Seksueel expliciet of gewelddadig beeldmateriaal moet als ‘gevoelig’ gemarkeerd worden, of met een inhoudswaarschuwing gemarkeerd."
},
"ru": {
"text": "Сексуально откровенные или жестокие изображения или видео должны быть помечены как чувствительные или скрыты под спойлер."
},
"zh-CN": {
"text": "色情或暴力媒体必须标记为敏感或有内容警告",
"hint": "这包括特别挑逗性的内容，即使它可能没有显示特定的身体部位，以及尸体、血腥伤害和其他血腥内容。特别淫秽的内容可能会被完全禁止。个人资料图片和头像不得包含色情或暴力内容。"
},
"zh-TW": {
"text": "性暗示或暴力媒體必須標示為敏感或附帶內容警示",
"hint": "這包括特別挑釁的內容，即使它可能沒有顯示特定的身體部位，以及屍體、血腥傷害和其他血腥內容。特別猥褻的內容可能會被完全禁止。個人檔案圖片和標題圖片不得包含色情或暴力媒體。"
}
}
},
{
"id": "2",
"text": "No racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, or casteism.",
"hint": "Transphobic behavior such as intentional misgendering and deadnaming is strictly prohibited. Promotion of \"conversion therapy\" is strictly prohibited. Criticism of governments and religions is permissible unless being used as a proxy for discrimination.",
"translations": {
"de": {
"text": "Kein(e) Rassismus, Sexismus, Homophobie, Transphobie, Behindertenfeindlichkeit, Fremdenfeindlichkeit oder Kasteismus."
},
"es": {
"text": "Prohibido el racismo, sexismo, homofobia, transfobia, ableísmo, xenofobia o casticismo."
},
"fr": {
"text": "Pas de racisme, sexisme, homophobie, transphobie, validisme, xénophobie ou discrimination de caste."
},
"nl": {
"text": "Geen racisme, seksisme, homofobie, transfobie, validisme, xenofobie of kastendiscriminatie.",
"hint": "Transfobisch gedrag zoals opzettelijk misgenderen en deadnaming is ten strengste verboden. Het promoten van “conversie therapie” is ten strengste verboden. Kritiek op overheden en religies is toegestaan tenzij het wordt gebruikt als proxy voor racisme."
},
"ru": {
"text": "Запрещается расизм, сексизм, гомофобия, трансфобия, эйблизм, ксенофобия и кастовость.",
"hint": "Трансфобное поведение, такое как осознанный мисгендеринг и деднейминг, строго запрещено. Продвижение \"конверсионной терапии\" строго запрещено. Критика правительств и религий разрешена, кроме случаев, когда она используется как оправдание для дискриминации."
},
"zh-CN": {
"text": "禁止种族主义、性别歧视、仇视同性恋、仇视变性者、异能者、仇外心理或种姓歧视。",
"hint": "严禁变性仇视行为，如故意误用性别和死名。严禁宣传 “转换疗法”。允许批评政府和宗教，除非被用作歧视的代名词。"
},
"zh-TW": {
"text": "禁止種族主義、性別主義、恐同主義、恐變性主義、能力主義、仇外主義或種性主義。",
"hint": "嚴禁變性仇視行為，例如故意誤用性別和暱稱。嚴禁宣傳「扭轉治療」。允許批評政府和宗教，除非被用來代表歧視。"
}
}
}
]
}