Skip to content
API
GUIDES
MQL
SDK
CARDS

Insights

Copy for LLM
|
View as Markdown
Running Insights requires two parameters: the target url and insights.
Use insights: true to run both technology detection and a Lighthouse audit, or pass an object when you want only one of them.

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://vercel.com' URL with 'insights' & 'meta' API parameters:

CLI Microlink API example

microlink https://vercel.com&insights

cURL Microlink API example

curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://vercel.com" \
  -d "insights=true" \
  -d "meta=false"

JavaScript Microlink API example

import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://vercel.com', {
  insights: true,
  meta: false
})

Python Microlink API example

import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://vercel.com",
    "insights": "true",
    "meta": "false"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())

Ruby Microlink API example

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://vercel.com",
  insights: "true",
  meta: "false"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body

PHP Microlink API example

<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://vercel.com",
    "insights" => "true",
    "meta" => "false"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}

Golang Microlink API example

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://vercel.com")
    q.Set("insights", "true")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
Run the request and look for the analysis under data.insights.

MQL installation

To run the JavaScript examples with MQL, install @microlink/mql:
npm install @microlink/mql --save
It works in Node.js, Edge runtimes, and the browser. See the MQL installation guide for the environment-specific setup.
If you are using another language, you do not need to install MQL to follow this guide. You can use the terminal examples or call the API directly from any HTTP client.

How it works

Switch to an insights object when you want only one analysis:
{
  url: 'https://vercel.com',
  insights: {
    technologies: true,
    lighthouse: false
  },
  meta: false
}
In practice, you will usually read one of these fields:
  • data.insights.technologies
  • data.insights.lighthouse

Choose a mode

NeedBest optionWhy
You want to identify the site's stackinsights: { technologies: true, lighthouse: false }Faster and lighter
You want a Lighthouse auditinsights: { technologies: false, lighthouse: true }Focuses on report generation
You want bothinsights: trueRuns the full Insights flow

Keep it light

If Insights is the only thing you need, skip metadata and keep only the Insights payload:

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://vercel.com' URL with 'insights', 'meta' & 'filter' API parameters:

CLI Microlink API example

microlink https://vercel.com&insights.technologies&filter=insights

cURL Microlink API example

curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://vercel.com" \
  -d "insights.technologies=true" \
  -d "insights.lighthouse=false" \
  -d "meta=false" \
  -d "filter=insights"

JavaScript Microlink API example

import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://vercel.com', {
  insights: {
    technologies: true,
    lighthouse: false
  },
  meta: false,
  filter: "insights"
})

Python Microlink API example

import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://vercel.com",
    "insights.technologies": "true",
    "insights.lighthouse": "false",
    "meta": "false",
    "filter": "insights"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())

Ruby Microlink API example

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://vercel.com",
  insights.technologies: "true",
  insights.lighthouse: "false",
  meta: "false",
  filter: "insights"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body

PHP Microlink API example

<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://vercel.com",
    "insights.technologies" => "true",
    "insights.lighthouse" => "false",
    "meta" => "false",
    "filter" => "insights"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}

Golang Microlink API example

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://vercel.com")
    q.Set("insights.technologies", "true")
    q.Set("insights.lighthouse", "false")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    q.Set("filter", "insights")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
Use meta: false and filter: 'insights' to keep the request lighter and the response smaller.
If you run repeated checks, you can also add ttl
PRO
or staleTtl
PRO
to cache expensive runs.

Free tier and API key

The Microlink API works without an API key and gives you 50 free requests per day. For production usage, a
PRO
plan unlocks features such as configurable cache TTL, custom headers, and proxy support.
See the authentication and rate limit docs for details.

What's next

  • Technology detection — identify frameworks, CDNs, analytics tools, and other technologies behind a site.
  • Lighthouse reports — generate JSON, HTML, or CSV Lighthouse audits and tune report settings.
  • Caching and performance — cache expensive runs, skip unnecessary work, and verify response behavior.
  • Troubleshooting — fix missing results, slow requests, private-page issues, and blocked sites.

See also

  • Metadata — if you need link preview data alongside site analysis.
  • Screenshot — if you want a visual capture of the analyzed site.