Apple Appstore name search via the API?

Question

Is it possible to do a search for apps by title via the API? For example, the equivalent of "Return a list of apps (if any) with the word 'dog' in the title".

I've seen two access points that come close, but don't seem to offer this:

1. The RSS feed; it lists apps, but apparently only groupings like, "top 100..."

2. The query interface; but it doesn't seem to query over the app media type. (?)

Solution 1

I found the answer. Although not explicitly documented, it's possible to search by app name.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources/documentation/itunes-store-web-service-search-api.html

Solution 2

You're right, it wasn't very clear on that iTunes page at all. The parameter entity=software is the key. For example, here's a search for my app, TypeLink:

http://itunes.apple.com/search?entity=software&term=typelink&callback=myCallbackFunction

If you're wondering what the callback is for, here's some more info on the JSONP format it uses:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSONP

Solution 3

For any future person who wants to link to the App Store keyword search result page directly from a web link - this format works as of April 2013:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSearch.woa/wa/search?media=software&submit=media&term=KEYWORD%20GOES%20HERE

Was a PITA to figure out but finally got the syntax right... Needed this because a client has apps made by multiple developers so I couldn't just use the suggested Appstore.com/DeveloperName link to return all their apps.

Thanks all for sharing wisdom. Hope this helps someone.

Comments

[Astha]

can you please share a example of url to search apps in App Store? Because all i am getting is for itunes not the apps of the app store and i want apps to be searched not itunes. Any idea?

[ThinkCode]

This should give you software searches in US. It is App Store search results. itunes.apple.com/…

[almathie]

Feb 2016 : This does not work anymore as this provides the page that invites the user to download iTunes if they don't have it installed or opens the page in iTunes if they do. Several (commercial) alternatives have spawned see apptweak.io or sensortower.com