===== How to perform Calls =====

To interact with our API system you can use any programming or scripting language supporting external internet calls. 

=== Base url ===

The following one is our base url. All API calls must refer to this address.

http://api.langid.net/

=== Methods ===

By now we support just a method, **identify**, used to identify a language by a passed string

http://api.langid.net/identify

=== Formats ===

    * XML
    * JSON

These formats need to be appended to the method as extensions, exactly as shown below

http://api.langid.net/identify.xml

http://api.langid.net/identify.json

=== Parameters ===

You just need one parameter to get started: **string**. This is the urlencoded string you whish to identify. Must be no longer then 249 chars.

As optional parameter you can specify your **api-key**. This would allow you to make 20,000 calls per day at no cost! Learn how to [[get-api-key|get your API key]].

All the parameters must be appended in GET to the url requested. Please have a look at below examples for more information.

=== Examples ===

Identify my string anonymously, retrieving data in JSON

http://api.langid.net/identify.json?string=please%20identify%20me

Identify my string using my [[get-api-key|API key]], retrieving data in XML

http://api.langid.net/identify.xml?string=please%20identify%20me&api-key=XXXXXXXXXXXX

=== Proceed ===

Now that you know how to perform calls, you might be interested on how results are presented. Have a look at [[results|dealing with results]] section