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OpenWeather API Documentation

Welcome to the OpenWeather API documentation.
This is a simplified, portfolio-ready version of the OpenWeather API, created to demonstrate clear technical documentation practices.

You will find instructions on authentication, available endpoints, and error handling.
For full API details, visit the official OpenWeather docs.

What’s Covered

Getting Started

Prerequisites

  1. A free OpenWeather account.
  2. An API key (generated from your OpenWeather dashboard).
  3. A tool like cURL, Postman, or any HTTP client to make requests.

Base URL

All requests are made over HTTPS: 

[https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/](https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/)

Quick Example

Request current weather for Nairobi, Kenya (metric units):

curl "https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=London&units=metric&appid=YOUR_API_KEY"

Sample response (sample):

{
  "weather": [
    { "main": "Clear", "description": "clear sky" }
  ],
  "main": {
    "temp": 26.5,
    "humidity": 54
  },
  "wind": { "speed": 3.6 },
  "name": "London"
}

FAQs

Q: Is this the official OpenWeather API documentation? A: No. This is a simplified version created as a portfolio sample for technical writing.

Q: Can I actually use these endpoints? A: Yes! The examples are real and based on OpenWeather’s free API. Just replace YOUR_API_KEY with a valid one.

Q: What’s the rate limit? A: Free accounts are limited to 60 requests per minute (check official docs for updated limits).

Q: Why do I see errors when testing? A: Make sure you’ve included a valid appid parameter (your API key). See the Error Codes page for details.

Next Steps