Mobile App Gallery API Documentation

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Accessing the API

Our Mobile App Gallery API is accessible via HTTP GET requests and does not require a login or API key to use.

The base URL for the API is http://apps.usa.gov/api/AppsGallery/apps.json/. Append the API call you’d like to make to this URL.

API Result Formats

The Mobile App Gallery API returns results in json.

Additionally, by appending a “jsonp” parameter to the API URL (as in jsonp=<callback method>), the API will return JSONP via the callback method you specify.

For example, http://apps.usa.gov/api/AppsGallery/apps.json/apps?category=health&jsonp= callmeback.

Interactive Documentation

If you're interested in trying out the Mobile App Gallery API, we have an interactive test page. On this page, you can try different parameters and see the results.

Access the interactive documentation.

API Data Model

The following fields are associated with mobile apps. Please note that not every record has data in every field, and the API will only return completed fields.

  • Name – The name of the app.
  • Organization – The agency or organization for the app.
  • FriendlyURL – The URL to the app on the USA.gov or GobiernoUSA.gov App Gallery.
  • Short – A short description of the app.
  • Long – A long description of the app. Please note that the long description may include HTML coding.
  • Published – The date the app was published to the App Gallery.
  • Language – Whether the app is in English (en) or Spanish (es).
  • Featured – Whether the app appears on an App Gallery rotator panel.
  • Category – The categories associated with the app. There may be more than one. If more than one, they will be returned as an array.
  • ImageURL – The path to the icon for the app on the App Gallery.
  • ImageScreen – The path to screen shots of the app on the App Gallery. There may be more than one. If more than one, they will be returned as an array.

Additionally, an array of platforms are returned for each app. Each platform consists of the following sub-data elements.

  • Name – The name of the platform.
  • OS – The operating system for the app.
  • Device – The device required to run the app.
  • URL – The URL to download or access the app.
  • StoreRating – The rating for the app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
  • StoreAggregate – The number of ratings for the app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

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Example JSON Return

{
  "Application" : [ {
    "Name" : "Mojave Desert Tortoise",
    "Organization" : "Mojave Desert Ecosystem Program",
    "FriendlyURL" : "/mojave-desert-tortoise.shtml",
    "Short" : "Submit findings of this rare species and learn interesting 
facts.",
    "Long" : "
The Mojave Desert Tortoise application is a tool for people 
to use when they out in the desert and happen to come across this threatened 
species. This solution allows the user to become better educated about the 
species and then share their finding with government on a voluntary basis. 
The application once first loaded will ask the user to complete an anonymous 
five question survey which those results will be shared with the Fish and 
Wildlife agency of the United States. Once that survey is completed the user 
will not see that again and will be taken to the home screen. From the home 
screen the user can chose to take a photo, click on additional information on 
the species or learn about the groups that help to develop this application. 
Our intent with this application is to give the user an opportunity to submit 
their findings of this rare species and learn interesting facts as 
well.
",
    "Published" : "2012-02-15 00:00:00.0",
    "Language" : "en",
    "Featured" : "0",
    "Category" : [ "Productivity", "Reference" ],
    "ImageURL" : [ "./images/mojavetortoise_icon.jpg" ],
    "ImageScreen" : [ "./images/ss_mojavetortoise1.jpg", 
"./images/ss_mojavetortoise2.jpg" ],
    "Platform" : [ {
      "Name" : "Android",
      "OS" : "all",
      "Device" : "",
      "URL" : 
"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dc.tortoise",
      "StoreRating" : "4.2",
      "StoreAggregate" : "5"
    }, {
      "Name" : "iOS",
      "OS" : "all",
      "Device" : "",
      "URL" : 
"http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mojave-desert-tortoise/id400806083?mt=8",
      "StoreRating" : "3.5",
      "StoreAggregate" : "16"
    } ]
  }, {
    "Name" : "CA Desert",
    "Organization" : "Mojave Desert Ecosystem Program",
    "FriendlyURL" : "/ca-desert.shtml",
    "Short" : "Explore the deserts of the Southern California.",
    "Long" : "<p>Welcome to the California Desert.gov application, part 
of America's Great Outdoors! There are about 25 million acres of desert in 
California and Southern Nevada. That's a lot of territory filled with all 
kinds of things to see and do. Whatever you enjoy, we built these pages to 
help you plan your desert adventure. Start here before you hit the road and 
you are bound to have a better trip. Our driving tours can lead you to 
treasured places and save you miles and miles out on the dusty trails. Other 
pages give you the weather, tips for safe travel, and a schedule of events to 
help you plan ahead. So follow one of the links and get going. Early 
explorers never had it so good! If you would like to know more about 
America's Great Outdoors, please go to americasgreatoutdoors.gov for more 
information. This application has been developed as a mobile version of the 
website www.CaliforniaDesert.gov for the public to use while they explore the 
deserts of the Southern California. This application will allow you to use 
the mapping service and data found on the website while also seeing where you 
are in relation to items on the map if you have your GPS turned on. Other 
features include the latest news, events and calendar so you can figure out 
what exciting events are going on around you through your mobile 
device.</p>",
    "Published" : "2012-02-15 00:00:00.0",
    "Language" : "en",
    "Featured" : "0",
    "Category" : [ "Productivity", "Reference" ],
    "ImageURL" : [ "./images/caldesert_icon.jpg" ],
    "ImageScreen" : [ "./images/ss_caldesert1.jpg", 
"./images/ss_caldesert2.jpg", "./images/ss_caldesert3.jpg" ],
    "Platform" : [ {
      "Name" : "iOS",
      "OS" : "all",
      "Device" : "",
      "URL" : "http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ca-desert/id431028825?mt=8",
      "StoreRating" : "3.5",
      "StoreAggregate" : "6"
    }, {
      "Name" : "Android",
      "OS" : "all",
      "Device" : "",
      "URL" : 
"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dmg.gov.android",
      "StoreRating" : "4.0",
      "StoreAggregate" : "4"
    } ]
  } ]
}

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API Methods

Below is a brief description of the methods available via the Mobile App Gallery API. For detailed descriptions of each method, including which parameters are required, please see the interactive documentation.

apps

Apps is the method you’ll use to return a list of mobile apps from the API. Parameters are available to query based on several fields (such as the language of the app).

categories

Categories will return a list of all of the available categories you can query against in the apps method.

tags

Tags will return a list of all of the available tags you can query against in the apps method.

platforms

Platforms will return a list of all of the available platforms you can query against in the apps method.

apps/{id}

Replacing {id} with an app id will return the information for the application with that specific id.

sorts

Sorts will return a list of all of the available fields you can sort by in the apps method.

filters

Filters will return a list of filters you can use in the apps method.

devices

Devices will return a list of all of the available devices you can query against in the apps method.