Chuck Norris Database API

⭐ Beginner's Pick Games & Comics / No Auth Required Beginner HTTP
Free to Use Varies (check documentation)

Overview

The Chuck Norris Database API (ICNDB) delivers random Chuck Norris jokes as JSON with zero setup — no API key needed, just a simple GET request. You can filter by category, request a specific joke by ID, or replace the default name with a custom one using query parameters. It's one of the easiest APIs to start with for learning HTTP requests and JSON parsing.

💡

Beginner Tip

Use the 'firstName' and 'lastName' query parameters to personalize jokes with any name, making it fun for building custom greeting bots.

Available Data

joke text (setup/punchline)
joke category
joke type (single/twopart)
Use case: Integrate jokes data into web and mobile applications

Example Response

JSON Response
{
  "error": false,
  "category": "Programming",
  "type": "twopart",
  "setup": "Why do programmers prefer dark mode?",
  "delivery": "Because light attracts bugs.",
  "id": 42,
  "lang": "en"
}

Field Reference

id Unique identifier for the joke, usable in the /jokes/{id} endpoint.
value The joke text itself.
categories List of category tags for the joke (e.g. 'science', 'sport'); empty array means uncategorized.
url Direct permalink URL to this specific joke on the Chuck Norris IO website.

Implementation Example

// ⚠️ Note: This URL may be a documentation page. Check official docs for actual API endpoint.
const url = "http://www.icndb.com/api/";
const response = await fetch(url);
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

404 on /jokes/random with invalid category The category name doesn't exist in the database.
First call https://api.chucknorris.io/jokes/categories to get the valid list of category names.
Empty value field in response An extremely rare database issue or network problem.
Simply retry the request; the API is stateless and each call fetches a fresh random joke.
Receiving HTML instead of JSON The endpoint URL is incorrect and returning an error page.
Use the correct base URL https://api.chucknorris.io/jokes/random (not the icndb.com legacy URL).

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 15/20
🔒 Security 5/15
🛠 Developer XP 15/20
✓ Reliability 7/15
Response Time 211ms

Fully tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth No Auth
HTTPS NO
CORS UNKNOWN
Category Games & Comics
Difficulty Beginner
Verified: 2026-04-07

Similar APIs

View All →