NuGet API
Free NuGet API with no key: search .NET packages, get versions, download counts, descriptions and authors from the official registry. Tested curl example.
Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 2026-08-19
What is the NuGet API?
The NuGet search API is a free, key-free endpoint for querying the official .NET package registry, returning package metadata, all versions, total downloads, authors and descriptions.
NuGet's API is service-index driven: a root document lists the available service endpoints, which clients then use. For most purposes you can skip that indirection and hit the search service directly, which is what the example here does.
One practical warning: the registration endpoints come in gzipped and non-gzipped variants, and the `-gz-` paths return compressed bytes that will look like binary garbage if your client does not decompress. The search endpoint returns plain JSON and is easier to work with.
Quick facts
- Base URL
https://azuresearch-usnc.nuget.org- Authentication
- No API key for reads. Pushing packages requires an API key.
- Rate limit
- No published limit on the search service.
- Pricing
- Free.
- CORS
- Enabled — callable directly from browser JavaScript
- Official docs
- Read the docs
How to use the NuGet API
Every request below was executed against the live API on 2026-08-19, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.
1. Search the NuGet registry
GET https://azuresearch-usnc.nuget.org/query?q=newtonsoft.json&take=1
curl 'https://azuresearch-usnc.nuget.org/query?q=newtonsoft.json&take=1'const res = await fetch("https://azuresearch-usnc.nuget.org/query?q=newtonsoft.json&take=1");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);import requests
res = requests.get("https://azuresearch-usnc.nuget.org/query?q=newtonsoft.json&take=1", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json()){
"@context": {
"@vocab": "http://schema.nuget.org/schema#",
"@base": "https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration5-semver1/"
},
"totalHits": 942,
"data": [
{
"@id": "https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration5-semver1/newtonsoft.json/index.json",
"@type": "Package",
"registration": "https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration5-semver1/newtonsoft.json/index.json",
"id": "Newtonsoft.Json",
"version": "13.0.4",
"description": "Json.NET is a popular high-performance JSON framework for .NET",
"summary": "",
"title": "Json.NET",
"iconUrl": "https://api.nuget.org/v3-flatcontainer/newtonsoft.json/13.0.4/icon",
"licenseUrl": "https://www.nuget.org/packages/Newtonsoft.Json/13.0.4/license",
"projectUrl": "https://www.newtonsoft.com/json",
"tags": [
"json"
],
"authors": [
"James Newton-King"
],
"owners": [
"dotnetfoundation",
"jamesnk",
"newtonsoft"
],
"totalDownloads": 8965457385,
"verified": true,
"packageTypes": [
{
"name": "Dependency"
}
],
"versions": [
{
"version": "3.5.8",
"downloads": 5483746,
"@id": "https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration5-semver1/newtonsoft.json/3.5.8.json"
},
{
"version": "4.0.1",
"downloads": 876549,
"@id": "https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration5-semver1/newtonsoft.json/4.0.1.json"
},
{
"version": "4.0.2",
"downloads": 979034,
"@id"Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
q | string | Optional | Search query. newtonsoft.json |
take | integer | Optional | Number of results to return. 10 |
skip | integer | Optional | Pagination offset. 20 |
prerelease | boolean | Optional | Include prerelease versions. false |
Response fields
totalHitsinteger- Total packages matching the query.
data[].idstring- Package identifier.
data[].versionstring- Latest version.
data[].descriptionstring- Package description.
data[].totalDownloadsinteger- All-time download count.
data[].authorsarray- Package authors.
data[].versionsarray- All published versions with per-version download counts.
What you can build with the NuGet API
- Search .NET packages from a tool or IDE extension
- Show current package versions in documentation
- Compare download counts when choosing a library
- Audit versions in use across a .NET solution
Common errors and how to fix them
Binary or unreadable response
You hit a `-gz-` registration endpoint which returns gzipped content.
Fix: Use the search service, or decompress the response — the gz paths are not plain JSON.
Empty data array
No packages matched.
Fix: NuGet ids are dotted, e.g. Newtonsoft.Json; partial matches work but very short queries may not.
NuGet API — frequently asked questions
Does the NuGet API need an API key?
No key is needed to search or read package metadata. An API key is only required to publish packages.
Why does my NuGet request return binary data?
You are likely hitting a registration endpoint with `-gz-` in the path, which returns gzip-compressed content. Use the search service for plain JSON, or decompress the response.
How do I find all versions of a package?
The search response includes a `versions` array for each package, with the version string and per-version download count.
Is there a service index I should use?
Yes, https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json lists the canonical service endpoints. Hitting the search service directly is simpler but the index is the officially correct approach.
Tools that pair with this API
JSON Formatter
Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.
JSON Validator
Free online JSON validator: validate JSON and find syntax errors with the exact line and column. See root type, key counts and depth — instant and 100% private.
NuGet is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 2026-08-19; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.