> **For coding agents and LLMs:** This is one page from the Social Fetch docs (markdown export). For curated orientation and workflow guidance, start with [`/llms.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.txt); for agent onboarding and crawl rules, use [`/agents.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/agents.txt); for the full endpoint list with links to pages like this one, use [`/llms-endpoints.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-endpoints.txt); for one platform's parameters and curls, use [`/llms-{platform}.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-tiktok.txt); use [`/llms.json`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.json) when you need structured JSON for tool registration.

## This page

- **On-site (HTML):** <https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api/v1/flickr/groups/search/list>
- **Markdown (.mdx) URL:** <https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api/v1/flickr/groups/search/list.mdx>

## API base URL and authentication

- **API origin (from OpenAPI `servers`):** `https://api.socialfetch.dev`
- **Authentication:** send `x-api-key: sfk_...` on `/v1/**` and `/v2/**` routes unless the operation is explicitly anonymous (check OpenAPI `security`, the [API reference hub](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api.mdx), [`/llms.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.txt), or [`/llms.json`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.json) for each route).
- **OpenAPI JSON:** <https://www.socialfetch.dev/openapi.json>

## Recommended docs entrypoints (this site)

- [Documentation overview](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs.mdx) — top-level orientation (markdown).
- [Quickstart](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/quickstart.mdx) — authenticate with `x-api-key`, validate auth with `whoami`, and understand the JSON envelope.
- [SDK](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/sdk.mdx) — official TypeScript SDK guide, including `SocialFetchClient`, `Result`, and `unwrap()`.
- [Capability matrix](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/capability-matrix.mdx) — every operation with identifiers, pagination, outcomes, media download, credits, and its SDK method. Generated from OpenAPI, so use it for route selection instead of scanning individual pages.
- [Recipes](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/recipes.mdx) — copyable workflows (brand monitoring, transcripts, Ad Library, creator scoring, Reddit research) with credit callouts and SDK examples.
- [Integrations](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations.mdx) — MCP for AI clients, n8n verified node, Apify Store Actors, Make custom app, SDK, and REST API connection paths.
- [MCP product page](https://www.socialfetch.dev/mcp) — hosted MCP overview, OAuth, Skills install.
- [MCP integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/mcp.mdx) — hosted `/mcp` server, OAuth, Cursor/VS Code/Claude install snippets, 910 endpoint tools, plus docs_search/docs_read for implementation help.
- [n8n integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/n8n.mdx) — install `n8n-nodes-socialfetch`, credentials, and workflow examples.
- [Apify integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/apify.mdx) — Store Actors under @social-fetch, PPE billing, dataset export, and quick start.
- [Make integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/make.mdx) — custom app modules for Make scenarios, API key credentials, and module catalog.
- [`/llms-endpoints.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-endpoints.txt) — every documented operation with a direct link to that route's agent-readable markdown page (prefer this over parsing OpenAPI).
- [`/llms-{platform}.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-tiktok.txt) — per-platform endpoint files generated from OpenAPI (parameters, credits, curls).
- [`/agents.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/agents.txt) — agent crawl/onboarding file with capabilities, auth rules, and allowlist.
- [`/llms.json`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.json) — structured machine-readable operation inventory with parameter names, pagination, outcomes, credits, and SDK mapping.
- [API reference hub](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api.mdx) — human-friendly index of operations with links into generated pages.
- [Errors](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/errors.mdx) — shared error envelope and HTTP status guidance.
- [Credits](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/credits.mdx) — metering, `402`, and planning batch jobs.
- Outcome semantics such as `found`, `not_found`, and `private` are documented in [Errors](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/errors.mdx) and on operation pages when present in the OpenAPI contract.

## Markdown docs convention

- Every docs page has a markdown twin: append **`.mdx`** to the docs pathname (for example `/docs/quickstart` → `/docs/quickstart.mdx`).
- Agents that send `Accept: text/markdown` on `/docs/**` HTML URLs may receive markdown directly (same URL, `Vary: Accept`).
- Published blog posts use the same convention: `/blog/{slug}` → `/blog/{slug}.mdx`, or `Accept: text/markdown` on the HTML URL (`Vary: Accept`).

---
# Search Flickr groups (https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api/v1/flickr/groups/search/list)

## Summary

Search Flickr groups by name or description.

**Tags:** `Flickr`

## HTTP

- **Method:** GET
- **Path:** `/v1/flickr/groups/search`
- **Base URL:** `https://api.socialfetch.dev`

## Capability summary

- **SDK mapping:** `client.flickr.searchGroups({ query: "sunset" })`
- **Accepted identifiers:** `query` (query)
- **Pagination:** cursor via `cursor`, next cursor: `data.page.nextCursor`, has more: `data.page.hasMore`
- **Business outcome field:** `data.lookupStatus` with values `found`, `not_found`, `hidden`, `private`, `restricted`

## Credits

- **Base:** 1 credit per successful lookup.
- **Maximum on success (200):** 1 credit.
- **Failed requests (`lookup_failed`, `503`):** not charged.
- **Authoritative field:** `meta.creditsCharged`.

## Authentication

- **`x-api-key`**: API key (`sfk_...`)

## Parameters

### `cursor` (query)

- **Required:** no
- **Constraints:** type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 2048
- **Description:** Cursor from `page.nextCursor` of the previous response. It only works with the same filters. Send it without `page`; it keeps the page size it was issued with, so `limit` may be sent again and has no effect.

### `page` (query)

- **Required:** no
- **Constraints:** type `integer`; minimum: 1; maximum: 1000000
- **Description:** Page number, 1-based. Default: 1. A page past the last returns an empty list with `hasMore: false`. Prefer `cursor` when continuing.

### `limit` (query)

- **Required:** no
- **Constraints:** type `integer`; minimum: 1; maximum: 100
- **Description:** Rows per page, 1 to 100. Default: 100.

### `query` (query)

- **Required:** yes
- **Constraints:** type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200
- **Description:** Group name or description text.

## Pagination

This endpoint uses **cursor-based pagination** via the `cursor` query parameter.

- Read **hasMore** from `data.page.hasMore`.
- When that value is `true`, read **nextCursor** from `data.page.nextCursor` and pass it as the `cursor` query parameter on the **next** request (URL-encode when building a query string).
- Omit `cursor` on the **first** request.
- Stop when **hasMore** is `false` or **nextCursor** is null (end of list).

## Responses (status codes)

- **200**: Flickr group search.
- **400**: Invalid request
- **401**: Missing or invalid API key
- **402**: Insufficient credits
- **413**: The document is larger than the maximum size we can return; no charge.
- **500**: Unexpected or billing error
- **502**: Lookup could not be completed.
- **503**: Service temporarily unavailable; safe to retry with backoff.

## Response body (200)

Flickr group search.

### Field outline

- **data** (required) — type `object`. Endpoint-specific response payload.
  - **lookupStatus** (required) — type `string`; enum: found, not_found, hidden, private, restricted. `found` when the entity exists; `not_found` when it does not exist or was deleted; `hidden` when the owner hides the data (EXIF); `private` when the group or pool is member-only; `restricted` when the group is age-restricted.
  - **groups** (required) — type `array`. Groups on this page.
    - _items:_
      - **id** (required) — type `string`. Group NSID.
      - **alias** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Path alias.
      - **name** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Group name as plain text.
      - **description** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Full description as HTML.
      - **rules** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Rules as HTML/text.
      - **counts** (required) — type `object`. Group counts.
      - **privacy** (required) — type `string`; nullable. `public`, `private` or `invite_only`.
      - **createdAt** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Creation time, ISO 8601 UTC.
      - **lastActivityAt** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Last activity, ISO 8601 UTC.
      - **isEighteenPlus** (required) — type `boolean`; nullable. Whether the group is 18+.
      - **invitationOnly** (required) — type `boolean`; nullable. Whether joining needs an invitation.
      - **iconUrl** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Group icon URL.
      - **coverPhoto** (required) — type `object`; nullable. Cover photo URLs.
      - **classification** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Activity classification, e.g. `thriving`.
  - **page** (required) — type `object`. Pagination state for the current page.
    - **page** (required) — type `integer`; minimum: 0. Current page number.
    - **hasMore** (required) — type `boolean`. Whether another page is available.
    - **nextPage** (required) — type `integer`; minimum: 0; nullable. Next page number; null on the last page.
    - **nextCursor** (required) — type `string`; nullable. Cursor for the next page; null on the last page.
    - **totalItems** (required) — type `integer`; nullable. Total rows in the whole list; null when no usable total is available, including a page past the end and a photo search with a taken time bound. It can change between calls.
    - **reachableItems** (required) — type `integer`; nullable. Rows this endpoint can reach. Smaller than `totalItems` where this endpoint stops early. Null when `totalItems` is null.
    - **limit** (required) — type `integer`; minimum: 0. Rows requested for this page.
- **meta** (required) — type `object`. Metadata describing the request and billing outcome.
  - **requestId** (required) — type `string`; minLength: 1. Unique request identifier for tracing this API call.
  - **creditsCharged** (required) — type `integer`; minimum: 0. Credits charged for this request.
  - **version** (required) — type `string`; enum: v1. Public API version that served the response.

### Example JSON (found)

```json
{
  "data": {
    "lookupStatus": "found",
    "groups": [
      {
        "id": "67051040@N00",
        "alias": null,
        "name": "Sunsets over the City",
        "description": "Sunsets over the City...",
        "rules": null,
        "counts": {
          "members": 20680,
          "poolPhotos": 169433,
          "topics": 25
        },
        "privacy": "public",
        "createdAt": "2005-11-16T15:07:45.000Z",
        "lastActivityAt": "2026-11-04T21:08:15.000Z",
        "isEighteenPlus": false,
        "invitationOnly": false,
        "iconUrl": "https://farm1.staticflickr.com/26/buddyicons/67051040@N00_l.jpg?1132154005",
        "coverPhoto": {
          "h": "https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3724/coverphoto/67051040@N00_h.jpg?1401996965#67051040@N00",
          "l": "https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3724/coverphoto/67051040@N00_l.jpg?1401996965#67051040@N00",
          "s": "https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3724/coverphoto/67051040@N00_s.jpg?1401996965#67051040@N00",
          "t": "https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3724/coverphoto/67051040@N00_t.jpg?1401996965#67051040@N00"
        },
        "classification": "thriving"
      }
    ],
    "page": {
      "page": 1,
      "hasMore": true,
      "nextPage": 2,
      "nextCursor": "eyJwIjoyLCJsIjoxMDAsImYiOiJmbGlja3IuZ3JvdXBzLnNlYXJjaDpzdW5zZXQifQ",
      "totalItems": 21850,
      "reachableItems": 4000,
      "limit": 100
    }
  },
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_example",
    "creditsCharged": 1,
    "version": "v1"
  }
}
```

### Machine-readable error codes

When an error JSON body is returned, it may include one of these `error.code` values (derived from the OpenAPI schemas for this operation; additional codes may exist at runtime):

- `bad_request`

## Error handling & retries

Interpret HTTP status codes using the descriptions below. Do not assume a JSON body unless the OpenAPI schema defines one for that status.

- **400**: Invalid request **Retry:** Fix the request; retrying the same invalid payload will not help.
- **401**: Missing or invalid API key **Retry:** Fix the API key first; retrying without changes will not help.
- **402**: Insufficient credits **Retry:** Do not retry without resolving billing/credits (retrying the same request will not help).
- **413**: The document is larger than the maximum size we can return; no charge.
- **500**: Unexpected or billing error
- **502**: Lookup could not be completed. **Retry:** May be transient; a few retries with backoff are reasonable.
- **503**: Service temporarily unavailable; safe to retry with backoff. **Retry:** Usually safe to retry with exponential backoff and jitter.

### Suggested client defaults

- Send the API key using the `x-api-key` header on every request.
- On `503` (and sometimes `502`), retry with backoff; cap retries and surface a clear error to the user.
- On `402`, surface an actionable billing message rather than blind retries.

## Examples

### TypeScript SDK

```typescript
import { SocialFetchClient } from "@socialfetch/sdk";

const client = new SocialFetchClient({
  apiKey: process.env.SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY!,
});

const result = await client.flickr.searchGroups({
  query: "sunset",
});

if (!result.ok) {
  console.error(result.error);
} else {
  console.log(result.value.data);
}
```

### Node.js

```javascript
const response = await fetch(
  "https://api.socialfetch.dev/v1/flickr/groups/search?query=sunset",
  {
    headers: {
      "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
    }
  }
);

const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);
```

### cURL

```bash
curl "https://api.socialfetch.dev/v1/flickr/groups/search?query=sunset" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

### Python

```python
import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.socialfetch.dev/v1/flickr/groups/search?query=sunset",
    headers={"x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
data = response.json()
print(data)
```

### Example: next page (pagination)

After a successful response, if pagination is not finished, request the next page using `cursor` (URL-encode when composing the query string):

```javascript
const previous = await response.json();
const nextCursor = previous?.data?.page?.nextCursor;
const hasMore = previous?.data?.page?.hasMore;
if (!hasMore || nextCursor == null) {
  // no more pages
} else {
  const nextUrl = new URL("https://api.socialfetch.dev/v1/flickr/groups/search");
  nextUrl.searchParams.set("cursor", nextCursor);
  // optionally preserve sort: nextUrl.searchParams.set("sortBy", "latest");
  const nextResponse = await fetch(nextUrl.toString(), {
    headers: { "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY" },
  });
  const nextData = await nextResponse.json();
}
```