The DNSimple API

Table of Contents

• Getting access
• Building and testing
• Reacting to events
• Researching domains
• Limits and errors
• Reference
• Developer documentation
• Related articles
• Have more questions?

The DNSimple API lets you manage domains, DNS records, certificates, and the rest of your account from your own code. Requests authenticate with an access token or through an OAuth application, and you can test them in the Sandbox before you use production. Endpoint details are on the DNSimple developer site. This page is the starting point for API documentation on the Help site.

Getting access

• API Access Token - Create, scope, disable, and delete the tokens that authenticate API requests.
• OAuth Applications - Register an application that asks users for access to their DNSimple accounts.
• API Access Token Permissions Reference - What each permission scope allows, and which tasks need access to all domains.

Building and testing

• What Is the DNSimple Sandbox? - The test environment that mirrors production without touching live domains or billing.
• Getting Started With the DNSimple Sandbox - Make your first API calls with curl, from verifying a token to creating DNS records.
• Sandbox Common Pitfalls - Where the Sandbox behaves differently from production.
• DNSimple API Best Practices - Handle pagination, use webhooks instead of polling, and stay within rate limits.

Reacting to events

• Webhooks and API Events - Receive a request at your URL when something changes in your account, and clear suppression when deliveries fail.

Researching domains

• Domain Research API - Check whether a domain is available before you register it. Enterprise plan only.
• Can I use DNSimple for drop catching? - Why repeated availability checks are not allowed.

Limits and errors

• API Rate Limit - The hourly limit, the domain availability check limit, and how to check your usage.
• API Errors - What each status code means, and the error messages you are most likely to see.
• Troubleshoot DNSimple API Errors - Fix authentication failures, missing permissions, rate limits, and incomplete results.

Reference

• API Glossary - Definitions for tokens, scopes, OAuth, limits, webhooks, and Sandbox terms.

Developer documentation

The DNSimple developer site documents every API endpoint, with request formats, parameters, and responses. It also lists client libraries and tools built on the API. If you build a library or tool and would like it included, let us know.

Related articles

These live in other categories but come up often alongside the API:

• What Is the DNSimple CLI? - Use the API from your terminal without writing code.
• Terraform Provider - Manage DNSimple DNS records as infrastructure as code.
• Set Up Simple Dynamic DNS - Update a DNS record automatically when your IP address changes.
• What is Domain Access Control? - How member roles limit what a user token can do.
• Account Glossary - Definitions for user tokens, account tokens, and account roles.

Have more questions?

If you have any questions about the DNSimple API, contact support, and we’ll be happy to help. You can also read more about the DNSimple API.