Reference Manual (API Version 1.9)

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Overview

O*NET Web Services uses a RESTful external site web services API. Currently all resources are read-only and accessed with the GET method. Access is limited to registered developers; you can obtain access credentials and instructions by signing up for the developer program. Before you sign up, you can try our interactive demo to see the API in action. The services currently use the O*NET 30.0 Database.

Sample code

Code samples, including utility libraries and full working examples, are available on GitHub external site for the following languages:

• Client-side: jQuery external site and pure JavaScript external site
• C# external site
• NodeJS external site
• Perl 5 external site
• PHP external site
• Python 2 external site and Python 3 external site
• Ruby external site

These samples demonstrate how to use your Web Services credentials, how to check for errors, and how to parse JSON results. Each language includes a full working demo of the occupation keyword search.

JSON or XML format

By default, web service responses are returned in XML format. To receive data in JSON format instead, you must send an HTTP Accept header as part of your URL request:

Accept: application/json

Both formats are fully supported and return the same information. Throughout this documentation, examples are provided in both JSON and XML, with JSON presented by default for readability. Click the "XML" tab to see the XML formatting for a given example.

Error handling

• JSON
• XML

Error conditions in the web services API are indicated with HTTP status codes. When a client calls a service incorrectly, an error response may be returned, along with a 422 status code. This can happen when:

• A required parameter (such as the keyword parameter in the Search careers service) is not provided, or a parameter was not formatted correctly.
• Information is requested for a non-existent or obsolete O*NET-SOC code.
• No data is available for a particular career or parameter. For example, no Knowledge data is available for Legislators.

As with any web service, clients should also be prepared to handle other HTTP errors, such as 404 or 500. Only errors with a 422 code will contain a JSON or XML error response.

About O*NET Web Services

• JSON
• XML

This response provides version information for the data returned through these services. Two elements are returned:

• The taxonomy element specifies the version of the O*NET-SOC taxonomy, which determines the set of O*NET-SOC codes and titles in use. The url attribute links to the O*NET Resource Center, where detailed information and taxonomy history may be found.
• The database element indicates the version of the O*NET database in use. The database includes information such as KSA, Job Zone, and Interest ratings, which are updated more frequently than the taxonomy. The url attribute links to the O*NET Resource Center, where the full O*NET Database may be downloaded in several formats.
• The api_version element indicates the version of the Web Services API in use. This number is incremented only when the structure of the web services responses are changed, not when the data is updated.

The taxonomy and database will be updated regularly to match those in use at My Next Move and O*NET OnLine.

Service categories

• JSON
• XML

This response lists the top-level web service resources available. O*NET Web Services APIs are organized into four major groups, each based on the features of an O*NET website. For more information, see:

• My Next Move services
• Mi Próximo Paso services
• My Next Move for Veterans services
• O*NET OnLine services
• Taxonomy services
• Database services

Full list of O*NET Web Services APIs

• Overview
  • About O*NET Web Services
  • Service categories
• My Next Move Services
  • Search careers with key words
  • Browse careers by industry
    • Industry listing
    • Careers in industry
  • O*NET Interest Profiler
    • Short Form Questions (60-question desktop version)
    • Mini-IP Questions (30-question mobile version)
    • Results
    • Job Zones
    • Matching careers
  • Career listings
    • See all careers
    • Careers with a Bright Outlook
      • Bright Outlook category listing
      • Careers in Bright Outlook category
    • Careers with Registered Apprenticeships
    • Careers sorted by Job Preparation
      • Job Zone listing
      • Careers in Job Zone
    • Careers with videos
  • Career report
    • Career overview (description, tasks)
    • Knowledge
    • Skills
    • Abilities
    • Personality
    • Technology
    • Education
    • Job Outlook
    • Check Out My State
    • Explore More
    • Where do they work?
    • Full career report
• Mi Próximo Paso Services
  • Search careers with key words
  • Browse careers by industry
    • Industry listing
    • Careers in industry
  • O*NET Interest Profiler
    • Short Form Questions (60-question desktop version)
    • Mini-IP Questions (30-question mobile version)
    • Results
    • Job Zones
    • Matching careers
  • Career listings
    • See all careers
    • Careers with a Bright Outlook
      • Bright Outlook category listing
      • Careers in Bright Outlook category
    • Careers with Registered Apprenticeships
    • Careers sorted by Job Preparation
      • Job Zone listing
      • Careers in Job Zone
    • Careers with videos
  • Career report
    • Career overview (description, tasks)
    • Knowledge
    • Skills
    • Abilities
    • Personality
    • Technology
    • Education
    • Job Outlook
    • Check Out My State
    • Explore More
    • Where do they work?
    • Full career report
• My Next Move for Veterans Services
  • Search careers with key words
  • Browse careers by industry
    • Industry listing
    • Careers in industry
  • Find careers like your military job
  • Career listings
    • See all careers
    • Careers with a Bright Outlook
      • Category listing
      • Careers in category
    • Careers with Registered Apprenticeships
    • Careers sorted by Job Preparation
      • Job Zone listing
      • Careers in Job Zone
    • Careers with videos
  • Career report
    • Career overview (description, tasks)
    • In the military
    • Knowledge
    • Skills
    • Abilities
    • Personality
    • Technology
    • Education
    • Job Outlook
    • Check Out My State
    • Explore More
    • Where do they work?
    • Full career report
• O*NET OnLine Services
  • Keyword search
  • Browse occupations
    • Browse Bright Outlook occupations
      • Category listing
      • Occupations in category
    • Browse by Career Cluster
      • Cluster listing
      • Occupations in cluster
    • Browse by Industry
      • Industry listing
      • Occupations in industry
    • Browse by Job Family
      • Family listing
      • Occupations in family
    • Browse by Job Zone
      • Job Zone listing
      • Occupations in zone
    • Browse STEM occupations
      • Occupation types
      • Occupations in type
    • Browse by Hot Technology
      • Hot Technology listing
      • Occupations in Hot Technology
    • See all occupations
  • Advanced searches
    • Related Detailed Work Activity (DWA) search
      • Occupation search
      • DWAs in occupation
      • Related occupations for DWAs
    • Related Task search
      • Occupation search
      • Tasks in occupation
      • Related occupations for tasks
    • Tools & Technology search
      • T2 category search
      • Examples in T2 category
      • Occupations in T2 category
  • Crosswalk searches
    • Apprenticeship crosswalk search
    • DOT crosswalk search
    • Education crosswalk search
    • Military crosswalk search
    • Occupation Handbook crosswalk search
    • SOC crosswalk search
  • Occupation report
    • Occupation overview (description, job titles)
    • Summary report
      • Tasks summary
      • Technology Skills summary
      • Tools Used summary
      • Knowledge summary
      • Skills summary
      • Abilities summary
      • Work Activities summary
      • Detailed Work Activities summary
      • Work Context summary
      • Job Zone summary
      • Education summary
      • Interests summary
      • Work Styles summary
      • Work Values summary
      • Related Occupations summary
      • Sources of Additional Information summary
      • Full summary report
    • Details report
      • Tasks details
      • Technology Skills details
      • Tools Used details
      • Knowledge details
      • Skills details
      • Abilities details
      • Work Activities details
      • Detailed Work Activities details
      • Work Context details
      • Job Zone details
      • Education details
      • Interests details
      • Work Styles details
      • Work Values details
      • Related Occupations details
      • Sources of Additional Information details
      • Full details report
    • Custom report
      • Work Activities Outline custom
    • Related occupations for
      • Related occupations for Tasks
      • Related occupations for Tools & Technology
      • Related occupations for Knowledge
      • Related occupations for Skills
      • Related occupations for Abilities
      • Related occupations for Work Activities
      • Related occupations for Detailed Work Activities
      • Related occupations for Work Context
      • Related occupations for Interests
      • Related occupations for Work Styles
      • Related occupations for Work Values
• Taxonomy Services
  • O*NET-SOC 2010 to active O*NET-SOC crosswalk
  • Active O*NET-SOC to O*NET-SOC 2010 crosswalk
  • O*NET-SOC 2019 to active O*NET-SOC crosswalk
  • Active O*NET-SOC to O*NET-SOC 2019 crosswalk
  • O*NET-SOC 2010 to O*NET-SOC 2019 crosswalk
  • O*NET-SOC 2019 to O*NET-SOC 2010 crosswalk
• Database Services
  • List of data tables
  • Table column information
  • Data rows