Figshare API Guide

Overview

Figshare is a cloud-based research data management platform that allows researchers to store, share, and discover research outputs including datasets, figures, media, papers, posters, and fileset collections. Every item uploaded to Figshare receives a citable DOI and is stored in a FAIR-compliant manner, making research outputs findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable.

The Figshare API provides comprehensive programmatic access to the repository, enabling researchers and institutions to automate data publishing, integrate with research workflows, and build custom discovery interfaces. The platform supports versioning, embargo periods, and flexible access controls for both public and private research data.

Researchers, data managers, institutional repository administrators, and research infrastructure developers use the Figshare API to automate deposit workflows, harvest metadata for institutional dashboards, build data discovery tools, and integrate research data management into existing laboratory information management systems. Figshare serves over 150 institutions worldwide and hosts millions of research outputs.

Authentication

Authentication via personal access token is required for write operations and accessing private content. Read access to public content is available without authentication but has lower rate limits.

1. Log in to Figshare at https://figshare.com/
2. Navigate to Applications in your account settings
3. Create a Personal Token with desired permissions
4. Include the token in the Authorization header

curl -H "Authorization: token YOUR_FIGSHARE_TOKEN" "https://api.figshare.com/v2/account/articles"

Public endpoints can be accessed without a token for browsing published content.

Core Endpoints

articles: Search and Retrieve Articles

Search the public Figshare repository for published articles (datasets, figures, papers, media, and other item types).