Structured preview metadata
Returns a compact JSON object with the fields needed for a rich link card, including title, description, image, favicon, site name, canonical URL, locale, and source URL.
Exabase Link Preview
Exabase Link Preview is a developer API that fetches title, description, image, favicon, and other preview metadata for any URL. It returns structured JSON for building rich link cards and similar previews.
Overview
Exabase Link Preview is a developer API for fetching rich metadata from a URL and returning it as structured JSON. It is designed to power link cards and other preview surfaces without requiring your app to scrape pages or create a separate resource.
The API returns the fields commonly needed for previews: page title, description, preview image, favicon, site name, canonical URL, locale, and related image or icon metadata. The product page positions it as a single GET request that works in real time, including on pages rendered with JavaScript.
Features
Single GET request workflow
Fetches pages and extracts Open Graph tags and related metadata in one request, so apps do not need to parse HTML themselves.
Works with JavaScript-rendered pages
The docs state that the API can fetch pages in real time, including content rendered with JavaScript.
Rich asset details
Provides image and favicon details with dimensions, MIME type, and file size where available, which is useful for layout and validation.
Immediate JSON response
Returns a synchronous response, making it suitable for immediate rendering of link cards or previews in an app.
Clear no-preview handling
The docs note a 404 response when no preview data can be fetched for a URL, giving a clear failure signal for unsupported pages.
Use cases
Chat and messaging previews
Show a rich preview when a user pastes a URL into chat, messaging, or collaboration software. The API supplies the title, description, image, and favicon needed for a card-style presentation.
CMS link cards
Auto-generate preview cards inside editorial tools or CMS workflows when an editor adds a link. This removes the need for manual entry of title and thumbnail data.
Bookmark managers
Populate bookmark libraries with page metadata when a user saves a URL. The returned title, description, and image can be used to organize saved links visually.
Pre-publish link validation
Check how a URL will render before publishing it in social scheduling tools. The image dimensions returned by the API can help detect previews that may not fit expected aspect ratios.
Metadata-only workflows
Use the response as a lightweight metadata source when you need preview information but not the full page body. The product page points users to Exabase Extract when they need full content extraction instead.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Returns the core fields needed to render a link card from a single URL.
- Supports pages rendered with JavaScript according to the product page and docs.
- Includes image and favicon metadata, not just text fields.
- Provides a clear API contract with documented fields and error handling.
- Can be used without creating a separate resource for the URL.
Cons
- The documentation says no preview data is available for some URLs, in which case the endpoint returns 404.
- The landing page describes a nominal charge beyond the free monthly allowance, so usage is not unlimited.
- The product is focused on link metadata rather than full-page extraction; the site points users to Exabase Extract for structured page content.
FAQ
What does the Link Preview API return?
It is a single-request API that accepts a URL and returns structured link metadata such as title, description, image, favicon, site name, canonical URL, and locale. The docs describe the response as synchronous.
How do I authenticate requests?
The developer guide shows the API being used through an Exabase API key sent in the X-Api-Key header. The general docs also note that API keys should not be exposed in client-side code.
What is the endpoint format?
The documentation describes the endpoint as GET /v2/link and shows example requests with a url query parameter. The landing page also presents it as a GET request that returns JSON.
Is Link Preview free to use?
The landing page says the service is completely free up to 20,000 link previews a month, with a nominal charge beyond that of 0.01 credits. The pricing page also indicates Exabase has a free plan and paid usage model, but the Link Preview page gives the clearest usage cap.
Can it handle pages that rely on JavaScript?
Yes. The landing page says the API fetches and parses pages in real time, including pages rendered with JavaScript, and the docs say the response is synchronous. A 404 is returned when no preview data can be fetched.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Developer Tool
- Product type
- Link preview API
- Endpoint
- GET /v2/link
- Authentication
- API key via X-Api-Key
- Free usage
- 20,000 link previews per month on the landing page
- Output
- JSON preview metadata
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