> **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):** - **Markdown (.mdx) URL:** ## 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:** ## 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`). --- # Validate a Boolean query (https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api/v1/query/validate/post) ## Summary Check a Boolean query before searching: read it (or import it from Talkwalker, Brandwatch, Meltwater, Onclusive or X, or detect which), explain it in English… **Tags:** `System` ## HTTP - **Method:** POST - **Path:** `/v1/query/validate` - **Base URL:** `https://api.socialfetch.dev` ## Capability summary - **SDK mapping:** HTTP only today - **Pagination:** none ## Credits - **Base:** 0 credits per successful lookup. - **Maximum on success (200):** 0 credits. - **Failed requests (`lookup_failed`, `503`):** not charged. - **Authoritative field:** `meta.creditsCharged`. ## Authentication - **`x-api-key`**: API key (`sfk_...`) ## Request body - **Required:** yes; content type `application/json` **Shape:** - **query** (required) — type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 8192. The Boolean query to check. - **syntax** (optional) — type `string`; enum: native, x, onclusive, talkwalker, brandwatch, meltwater, auto. Syntax the query is written in: `native` (Social Fetch's Boolean language), another tool's to import (`x`, `onclusive`, `talkwalker`, `brandwatch` or `meltwater`), or `auto` to detect it from the query. With `auto`, `detected` says which was used and why. - **platforms** (optional) — type `array`. Platforms to plan for. Every platform when omitted. - _items:_ - type `string`; enum: twitter, reddit, youtube, tiktok, linkedin, threads, instagram, hackernews, facebook - **since** (optional) — type `string`. Earliest post time, between 2000 and 2100. Overrides a date in an imported query. - **until** (optional) — type `string`. Latest post time, between 2000 and 2100, not before `since`. Overrides a date in an imported query. - **maxCredits** (optional) — type `integer`; minimum: 1; maximum: 10000. Credits a search would be allowed, shared evenly between the platforms with something to search; the plan and the estimate are shaped by it. Default 100. - **language** (optional) — type `string`; enum: en, es. Language of the explanation: `en` (default) or `es`. - **platformSearches** (optional) — type `object`. Searches to plan on a platform instead of those planned from the query, by platform, as `POST /v1/query/search` would run them. - **twitter** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 - **reddit** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 - **youtube** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 - **tiktok** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 - **linkedin** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 - **instagram** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 - **threads** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 - **hackernews** (optional) — type `array`. Searches to run on this platform instead of those planned from the query, in its own syntax (Instagram: hashtags, with or without `#`). Posts found are still checked against the whole query. - _items:_ - type `string`; minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 **Example:** ```json { "query": "string", "syntax": "native", "platforms": [ "twitter" ], "since": "string", "until": "string", "maxCredits": 0, "language": "en", "platformSearches": { "twitter": [ "string" ], "reddit": [ "string" ], "youtube": [ "string" ], "tiktok": [ "string" ], "linkedin": [ "string" ], "instagram": [ "string" ], "threads": [ "string" ], "hackernews": [ "string" ] } } ``` ## Responses (status codes) - **200**: The query read, explained and planned, or why it can't be read (`valid: false`, with the error's position). - **400**: Malformed request body, or a time window a search can't use (a time outside 2000–2100, or `until` before `since`). - **401**: Missing or invalid API key - **429**: Rate limit exceeded for this free endpoint - **500**: Unexpected error ## Response body (200) The query read, explained and planned, or why it can't be read (`valid: false`, with the error's position). ### Field outline - **data** (required) — type `object`. Endpoint-specific response payload. - **valid** (required) — type `boolean`. Whether the query can be read. - **error** (required) — type `object`; nullable. Why it can't be read; null when valid. - **reason** (required) — type `string`. Machine-readable reason, such as `ambiguous_precedence`. - **message** (required) — type `string`. What's wrong and how to fix it. - **start** (required) — type `integer`. Where the problem starts in the query (UTF-16 offset). - **end** (required) — type `integer`. Where it ends (UTF-16 offset, exclusive). - **normalizedQuery** (required) — type `string`; nullable. The query in Social Fetch's syntax, with every operator explicit. It always parses back to the same query. - **explanation** (required) — type `string`; nullable. The query in plain language. - **detected** (required) — type `object`; nullable. With `syntax: auto`, the syntax the query was read in and why; null otherwise. Send that syntax to search with it. - **syntax** (required) — type `string`; enum: native, x, onclusive, talkwalker, brandwatch, meltwater. Syntax the query is written in: `native` (Social Fetch's Boolean language), or another tool's to import: `x` (X search), `onclusive`, `talkwalker`, `brandwatch` (also Cision Social Listening) or `meltwater`. - **marks** (required) — type `array`. What gave the syntax away, as written in the query, such as `NEAR/2f`; empty when nothing did. - _items:_ - type `string` - **import** (required) — type `object`; nullable. How an imported query carried over; null for native queries. - **syntax** (required) — type `string`; enum: x, onclusive, talkwalker, brandwatch, meltwater. Another tool's syntax: `x` (X search), `onclusive`, `talkwalker`, `brandwatch` (also Cision Social Listening) or `meltwater`. - **fidelity** (required) — type `string`; enum: exact, approximate, partial. The worst clause's status, summarised. - **clauses** (required) — type `array` - _items:_ - **since** (required) — type `string`; nullable. A date the imported query held (X's since:). - **until** (required) — type `string`; nullable. A date the imported query held (X's until:). - **platforms** (required) — type `array`. The plan on each platform. - _items:_ - **platform** (required) — type `string`; enum: twitter, reddit, youtube, tiktok, linkedin, threads, instagram, hackernews, facebook. A platform a query can search. - **coverage** (required) — type `string`; enum: full, partial, none. `full`: every part of the query can be searched; `partial`: some can't (see notes); `none`: nothing can. - **notes** (required) — type `array`. What won't be covered, and why. - _items:_ - type `string` - **searchTerms** (required) — type `array`. What would be searched, in the platform's own syntax. - _items:_ - type `string` - **estimatedCredits** (required) — type `integer`; minimum: 0. At most what this platform would charge: its share of `maxCredits`, or less when its searches need fewer. - **custom** (optional) — type `boolean`. True when `searchTerms` are the searches chosen in `platformSearches`, not those planned from the query. Absent otherwise. - **estimatedCredits** (required) — type `integer`; minimum: 0. At most what a search with these settings would charge. - **warnings** (required) — type `array`. Plain-language cautions, most important first. - _items:_ - type `string` - **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 (OpenAPI example) ```json { "data": { "valid": true, "error": null, "normalizedQuery": "(author:nasa OR author:esa) AND NOT type:reply", "explanation": "Posts that (are posted by @nasa or are posted by @esa) and aren't replies.", "detected": null, "import": { "syntax": "x", "fidelity": "exact", "clauses": [ { "start": 0, "end": 9, "text": "from:nasa", "status": "equivalent", "note": "Posts by the account.", "translatedTo": "author:nasa" } ], "since": null, "until": null }, "platforms": [ { "platform": "twitter", "coverage": "full", "notes": [], "searchTerms": [ "from:nasa OR from:esa" ], "estimatedCredits": 10 } ], "estimatedCredits": 18, "warnings": [] }, "meta": { "requestId": "req_example", "creditsCharged": 0, "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**: Malformed request body, or a time window a search can't use (a time outside 2000–2100, or `until` before `since`). **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. - **429**: Rate limit exceeded for this free endpoint - **500**: Unexpected error ### 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.