Shields API
Overview
Shields.io is a free API that generates SVG and PNG badge images for use in README files and documentation — showing things like build status, version numbers, license, and download counts. No API key is needed, and you simply construct a URL to get the exact badge you want. It is one of the most beginner-friendly APIs because the result is an image you can embed immediately.
Beginner Tip
Use the static badge endpoint for custom text: https://img.shields.io/badge/LABEL-MESSAGE-COLOR. Replace LABEL, MESSAGE, and COLOR with your values (e.g., /badge/status-active-brightgreen). Hyphens separate the three parts, and double hyphens produce a literal hyphen.
Available Data
Example Response
{
"status": "success",
"data": {
"result": "Data from Shields",
"description": "Concise, consistent, and legible badges in SVG and raster format",
"timestamp": "2025-01-15T10:00:00Z"
}
} Field Reference
(SVG/PNG image) The response body is the badge image itself (SVG or PNG), not a JSON object — embed the URL directly in an img tag or Markdown label Left-side text of the badge, typically describing the category (e.g., "build", "version") message Right-side text showing the value or status (e.g., "passing", "1.0.0") color Badge color name or hex code applied to the right section (e.g., "brightgreen", "red", "007ec6") style Visual style of the badge: flat (default), flat-square, plastic, for-the-badge, or social Implementation Example
const url = "https://shields.io/";
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
Matrix Score Breakdown
Fully tested on Apr 5, 2026
Technical Specifications
Related Tags
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