API Documentation

Read-only REST API for accessing Only In Ocala data programmatically

🔒 This API is read-only and provides access to public data only. All write operations (POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) are disabled for security.

Overview

The Only In Ocala API provides programmatic access to our comprehensive directory of businesses, events, and news in Ocala, Florida. All endpoints return JSON by default, with optional CSV and other format support.

Base URL: https://onlyinocala.com/api

Security & Access

🛡️ Read-Only Access

This API only supports GET requests. All other HTTP methods (POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) return a 405 Method Not Allowed error to ensure data integrity.

🔑 No Authentication Required

No API keys or authentication tokens required. All data returned is public information already available on the website.

⚡ Advanced Rate Limiting

100 requests per hour per IP address using sliding window algorithm to ensure fair usage and prevent abuse.

• Real-time rate limit tracking with detailed headers
• Automatic IP detection behind proxies
• 429 status code with retry-after header when limit exceeded
• Rate limit status included in all response headers

Businesses

GET /api/businesses

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`search`	string	Filter by business name, description, or category
`category`	string	Filter by business category
`city`	string	Filter by city location
`verified`	boolean	Show only verified businesses
`featured`	boolean	Show only featured businesses
`limit`	integer	Number of results (default: 50, max: 100)
`offset`	integer	Pagination offset (default: 0)
`format`	string	Response format: json (default) or csv

Example Requests

GET /api/businesses?category=Dining&verified=true

GET /api/businesses?search=pizza&limit=10

GET /api/businesses?featured=true&format=csv

Events

GET /api/events

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`search`	string	Filter by event name, description, or organizer
`category`	string	Filter by event category
`upcoming`	boolean	Show only upcoming events
`startDate`	string	Filter events after date (YYYY-MM-DD)
`endDate`	string	Filter events before date (YYYY-MM-DD)
`format`	string	Response format: json, csv, or ical

Example Requests

GET /api/events?upcoming=true&category=Music

GET /api/events?startDate=2024-01-01&endDate=2024-12-31

GET /api/events?format=ical

News

GET /api/news

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`search`	string	Filter by article title or content
`category`	string	Filter by news category
`recent`	boolean	Show only articles from last 30 days
`format`	string	Response format: json, csv, or rss

Example Requests

GET /api/news?recent=true&featured=true

GET /api/news?category=Business

GET /api/news?format=rss

🔍 API Monitoring & Analytics

📊 Real-time Monitoring

All API requests are monitored in real-time for performance and usage analytics.

• Response time tracking and optimization
• AI agent detection and usage patterns
• Format preference analytics (JSON, CSV, RSS, iCal)
• Popular endpoint and parameter tracking

🤖 AI Agent Insights

Specialized tracking for AI agents and automated tools accessing the API.

• Automatic detection of AI agents, crawlers, and bots
• User agent analysis and categorization
• Usage pattern analysis for optimization
• Popular search terms and filter combinations

📈 Response Headers

Enhanced headers provide detailed API information:

X-RateLimit-Limit: 100

X-RateLimit-Remaining: 95

X-RateLimit-Reset: 1640995200

X-Response-Time: 45.2

X-API-Monitor: active

CORS & Usage Notes

• Read-Only: Only GET and OPTIONS methods supported
• CORS: Enabled for all origins (*)
• Rate Limiting: 100 requests per hour per IP with sliding window algorithm
• Caching: Responses cached for 30-60 minutes
• Formats: JSON (default), CSV, RSS (news), iCal (events)
• Pagination: Use limit and offset parameters
• Status Codes: 200 (success), 400 (bad request), 405 (method not allowed), 429 (rate limited)
• Security Headers: X-API-Type: read-only, X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
• Monitoring: Response time tracking and AI agent detection
• Analytics: Usage patterns and optimization insights

Need Help?

For API support, feature requests, or to report issues, please contact us through our contact page or email us directly.