xkcd API

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

Overview

The xkcd API lets you retrieve any xkcd webcomic as structured JSON data, including the comic title, image URL, alt text, and publication date. It requires no authentication and is extremely simple to use. A perfect first API for beginners learning to make HTTP requests and parse JSON responses.

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Beginner Tip

To get the latest comic, request https://xkcd.com/info.0.json. To get a specific comic by its number, use https://xkcd.com/NUMBER/info.0.json, where NUMBER is the comic's ID.

Available Data

Use case: Integrate retrieve xkcd comics as json data into web and mobile applications
xkcd data via REST API
JSON-formatted response data
Freely accessible without authentication

Example Response

JSON Response
{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "xkcd",
  "data": "Retrieve xkcd comics as JSON",
  "source": "xkcd"
}

Field Reference

num The unique comic number, incrementing with each new publication.
title The title of the xkcd comic strip.
img URL to the comic's image file, typically a PNG or JPEG.
alt The hover text / alt text, often containing the punchline or extra joke.
transcript Full text transcript of the comic dialogue (may be empty for newer comics).
year Four-digit year the comic was published.

Implementation Example

const url = "https://xkcd.com/";
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 Not Found Comic number 404 does not exist intentionally (it is an xkcd joke).
Skip comic number 404 in any loop that iterates through all comics — it will always return 404.
Missing transcript field Newer comics do not always include a transcript in the JSON.
Treat transcript as optional; fall back to displaying the alt field (hover text) as alternative text.
Image not loading from URL The img URL uses HTTP and your environment enforces HTTPS.
Replace http:// with https:// in the img field value; xkcd serves images over both protocols.

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 10/20
🔒 Security 15/15
🛠 Developer XP 12/20
✓ Reliability 7/15
Response Time 617ms

Fully tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

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

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