Network Programming in .NET

Introduction

When working with professional networking data, LinkedIn is often the go-to platform for retrieving user information based on an email address. Using AvatarAPI.com, developers can easily query LinkedIn and other data providers through a simple API request. In this guide, we’ll explore how to use the API to retrieve LinkedIn profile details from an email address.

API Endpoint

To query LinkedIn using AvatarAPI.com, send a request to:

https://avatarapi.com/v2/api.aspx

JSON Payload

A sample JSON request to query LinkedIn using an email address looks like this:

{
    "username": "demo",
    "password": "demo___",
    "provider": "LinkedIn",
    "email": "jason.smith@gmail.com"
}

Explanation of Parameters:

• username: Your AvatarAPI.com username.
• password: Your AvatarAPI.com password.
• provider: The data source to query. In this case, “LinkedIn” is specified. If omitted, the API will search a default set of providers.
• email: The email address for which LinkedIn profile data is being requested.

API Response

A successful response from the API may look like this:

{
    "Name": "Jason Smith",
    "Image": "https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4E12AQEud3Ll5MI7cQ/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1660833954461?e=1716422400&v=beta&t=r-9LmmNBpvS4bUiL6k-egJ8wUIpEeEMl9NJuAt7pTsc",
    "Valid": true,
    "City": "Los Angeles, California, United States",
    "Country": "US",
    "IsDefault": false,
    "Success": true,
    "RawData": "{\"resultTemplate\":\"ExactMatch\",\"bound\":false,\"persons\":[{\"id\":\"urn:li:person:DgEdy8DNfhxlX15HDuxWp7k6hYP5jIlL8fqtFRN7YR4\",\"displayName\":\"Jason Smith\",\"headline\":\"Creative Co-founder at Mega Ventures\",\"summary\":\"Jason Smith Head of Design at Mega Ventures.\",\"companyName\":\"Mega Ventures\",\"location\":\"Los Angeles, California, United States\",\"linkedInUrl\":\"https://linkedin.com/in/jason-smith\",\"connectionCount\":395,\"skills\":[\"Figma (Software)\",\"Facebook\",\"Customer Service\",\"Event Planning\",\"Social Media\",\"Sales\",\"Healthcare\",\"Management\",\"Web Design\",\"JavaScript\",\"Software Development\",\"Project Management\",\"APIs\"]}]}",
    "Source": {
        "Name": "LinkedIn"
    }
}

Explanation of Response Fields:

• Name: The full name of the LinkedIn user.
• Image: The profile image URL.
• Valid: Indicates whether the returned data is valid.
• City: The city where the user is located.
• Country: The country of residence.
• IsDefault: Indicates whether the data is a fallback/default.
• Success: Confirms if the request was successful.
• RawData: Contains additional structured data about the LinkedIn profile, including:
  • LinkedIn ID: A unique identifier for the user’s LinkedIn profile.
  • Display Name: The name displayed on the user’s profile.
  • Headline: The professional headline, typically the current job title or a short description of expertise.
  • Summary: A brief bio or description of the user’s professional background.
  • Company Name: The company where the user currently works.
  • Location: The geographical location of the user.
  • LinkedIn Profile URL: A direct link to the user’s LinkedIn profile.
  • Connection Count: The number of LinkedIn connections the user has.
  • Skills: A list of skills associated with the user’s profile, such as programming languages, software expertise, or industry-specific abilities.
  • Education History: Details about the user’s academic background, including universities attended, degrees earned, and fields of study.
  • Employment History: Information about past and present positions, including company names, job titles, and employment dates.
  • Projects and Accomplishments: Notable work the user has contributed to, certifications, publications, and other professional achievements.
  • Endorsements: Skill endorsements from other LinkedIn users, showcasing credibility in specific domains.
• Source.Name: The data provider (LinkedIn in this case).

LinkedIn Rate Limiting

By default, LinkedIn queries are subject to rate limits. To bypass these limits, additional parameters can be included in the JSON request:

{
    "overrideAccount": "your_override_username",
    "overridePassword": "your_override_password"
}

Using these credentials allows queries to be processed without rate limiting. However, to enable this feature, you should contact AvatarAPI.com to discuss setup and access.

Conclusion

AvatarAPI.com provides a powerful way to retrieve LinkedIn profile data using just an email address. While LinkedIn is one of the available providers, the API also supports other data sources if the provider field is omitted. With proper setup, including rate-limit bypassing credentials, you can ensure seamless access to professional networking data.

For more details, visit AvatarAPI.com.