Data Commons

Overview

Data Commons is a free public API in the Weather category. Open source initiative from Google. Global disaster events and statistics data.

Weather APIs are a staple of free developer tooling — they power dashboards, travel planners, home-automation triggers, and IoT projects.

You can use this API in prototypes, side projects, and production applications — just keep the provider’s usage policy in mind.

Authentication

Data Commons uses API key authentication. You will need to obtain a key before making requests:

1. Open the official documentation at the link below.
2. Look for the sign-up / API-key section and create an account.
3. Copy your key and send it with every request (the docs show the exact header or query parameter to use).

Keep the key server-side and never commit it to public repositories.

HTTPS & CORS

• HTTPS: not supported — Data Commons is served over plain HTTP only. Avoid sending sensitive data, and prefer HTTPS endpoints where possible.
• CORS: unknown — if you plan to call Data Commons from the browser, verify CORS support in the official docs or with a quick test request.

Getting Started

1. Read the official documentation: https://datacommons.org/disasters
2. Obtain an API key (see Authentication above).
3. Make a test request with curl or your favourite HTTP client, sending the key as documented.

Rate Limits & Notes

• Rate limits, quotas, and free-tier terms are defined by the provider — always check the official documentation for Data Commons before scaling up.
• The upstream listing is community-maintained; fields like auth, HTTPS and CORS reflect the state at listing time and may change.

FAQ

Where do I get an API key for Data Commons?

API keys are issued by the provider. Head to the official documentation (https://datacommons.org/disasters) and follow the sign-up / key section.