FAQ
Common questions. For walkthroughs, start with Read / search or Publish. Suggestions welcome via contact.
General
Are client libraries available?
Yes. There are simple clients for PHP and Golang.
Read / search
How often is the data updated?
In real time. Content is available whenever it is added or updated on ReliefWeb.
How far does the data go back?
Reports have been posted continuously since 1996 (ReliefWeb launch). UN reports on major disasters from the 1980s are also available. Jobs started in 2001 and training in 1998, with API data available from 2011 onwards.
Why are my results almost empty?
On /v2/{resource} the default profile is minimal (title or name only). Set "profile": "list" for a practical browsing set, or full for everything. Single-record requests (/v2/{resource}/{id}) default to profile=default. See Choose fields and Resources for details.
Why don’t I see expired or archived items?
Default presets hide archived disasters and expired jobs/training. Use "preset": "analysis" when you need historical content. See Default filters (preset).
How can I get exact results for my search terms?
- Filters: quote the value and/or use a field marked
exactunder Resources. Examples: Filter. - Full-text
query: phrases, booleans, and field prefixes are covered in Search.
How can I get just the total?
Each response includes totalCount (all matches), separate from count (items on this page). Set "limit": 0 when you only need the total. See Sort and paginate.
Publish
What’s the difference between url and download_url?
On report attachments, url is the permanent attachment identifier on your organization domain. download_url is the public URL where ReliefWeb downloads the file (your site or a CDN). See Trusted URLs and UUIDs.
Why did I get HTTP 202 instead of 200?
202 means the document was queued for processing. That is the usual success for creates, replaces, and updates. See Responses, limits, and errors.