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Can I publish a completely open and free public API?

Last modified by Tiina Silvonen on 2026/08/17 07:08

Question

Can APIs be published completely open?

Solution

All APIs require an API key. For publicly available APIs, it is possible to use a shared API key that allows access without user registration.

When publishing a public API, appropriate safeguards should be considered. For example, rate limiting can help prevent misuse and reduce excessive load caused by poorly designed or malfunctioning client applications.

It is important to note that rate limits applied to a shared API key affect all consumers using that key.

Access to the API Portal requires a University of Helsinki user account. Therefore, external users cannot access the portal or its documentation directly. However, APIs can still be made available to external consumers through API keys, even if they do not have access to the portal.