1-Byte

Free • JSON • UK-built • No API key

Backlink API (JSON) — endpoints & examples

Use 1-Byte’s free endpoints to run quick or deep backlink scans, compare two domains to find overlaps and gaps, and diff snapshots to spot new vs lost links. Responses are clean JSON; examples below include cURL and fetch(). Ideal for internal dashboards, alerts, or integrating with your own reporting tools.

Published: 6 September 2025 • Last updated: 20 January 2026
Backlink Checker
/marketing/backlinks-api.php
Compare Two Domains
/marketing/backlinks-compare-api.php
New vs Lost
/marketing/backlinks-diff-api.php
Save Report
/marketing/backlinks-report-save.php
Public Report Renderer
/marketing/backlinks-report.php?id=…
Use the UI
Free Backlink Checker (web)

General notes

Backlink Checker

POST /marketing/backlinks-api.php

Request body

  • csrf — string (required in browser)
  • domain — string (required), e.g. example.com
  • deep_scan — boolean (optional): fetch pages to extract anchor text
  • include_big — boolean (optional): include search/social hosts (debug)
  • debug — boolean (optional): include diagnostics object
curl -sX POST https://1-byte.xyz/marketing/backlinks-api.php \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "csrf": "db35aef1019acce060bb7af9b13df915",
    "domain": "example.com",
    "deep_scan": true,
    "include_big": false,
    "debug": false
  }'
const res = await fetch('/marketing/backlinks-api.php', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {'Content-Type':'application/json'},
  body: JSON.stringify({
    csrf: 'db35aef1019acce060bb7af9b13df915',
    domain: 'example.com',
    deep_scan: true
  })
});
const data = await res.json();

Response (200)

Fields: domain, results[], note, optional diagnostics.
{
  "domain": "example.com",
  "results": [
    {
      "referring_url": "https://referrer.tld/page",
      "anchor_text": "Example",
      "link_type": "dofollow",
      "score": 62
    }
  ],
  "note": "Deep scan fetched pages...",
  "diagnostics": null
}
Errors
  • 400 — invalid domain
  • 403 — invalid CSRF token
  • 429 — rate limit
  • 500 — upstream fetch error

Compare Two Domains

POST /marketing/backlinks-compare-api.php

Request body

  • csrf — string (required in browser)
  • domain_a, domain_b — strings (required)
  • deep_scan — boolean (optional)
  • include_big — boolean (optional)
  • debug — boolean (optional)
curl -sX POST https://1-byte.xyz/marketing/backlinks-compare-api.php \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "csrf": "db35aef1019acce060bb7af9b13df915",
    "domain_a": "example.com",
    "domain_b": "competitor.com",
    "deep_scan": false
  }'

Response (200)

Fields: overlap[], unique_a[], unique_b[]; each array contains rows with referring_url, anchor_text, link_type, score.
{
  "overlap": [ { "referring_url":"https://...", "anchor_text":null, "link_type":"unknown", "score":null } ],
  "unique_a": [],
  "unique_b": [],
  "diagnostics": null
}

New vs Lost Backlinks

POST /marketing/backlinks-diff-api.php

Request body

  • csrf — string (required in browser)
  • domain — string (required)
  • days — integer (1–90, default 7)
  • deep_scan, include_big — optional filters matching your saved scans
  • soft — boolean (optional): if true, returns 200 with empty arrays + note when no snapshots yet
  • debug — boolean (optional)
curl -sX POST https://1-byte.xyz/marketing/backlinks-diff-api.php \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "csrf": "db35aef1019acce060bb7af9b13df915",
    "domain": "example.com",
    "days": 30,
    "soft": true
  }'

Response (200)

Fields: new_pages[], lost_pages[], aggregates new_by_domain/lost_by_domain, timestamps of latest_ts and baseline_ts.
{
  "domain":"example.com",
  "window_days":30,
  "latest_ts": 1725100000,
  "baseline_ts": 1722500000,
  "counts": {"new": 5, "lost": 2},
  "new_pages": [ { "referring_url":"https://...", "anchor_text":"Example", "link_type":"dofollow", "score":67 } ],
  "lost_pages": [],
  "new_by_domain": { "referrer.tld": 3 },
  "lost_by_domain": {},
  "note": null
}

Save Report

POST /marketing/backlinks-report-save.php

Request body

  • csrf — string (required in browser)
  • domain — string (required)
  • payload — object (required): the JSON you received from the checker ({ domain, results[], ... })
curl -sX POST https://1-byte.xyz/marketing/backlinks-report-save.php \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "csrf": "db35aef1019acce060bb7af9b13df915",
    "domain": "example.com",
    "payload": {
      "domain": "example.com",
      "results": []
    }
  }'

Response (200)

Saves the report into backlink_reports and returns { id, url }.
{
  "id": 123,
  "url": "/marketing/backlinks-report.php?id=123"
}

You can then share the public URL or list reports at /marketing/backlinks-reports.php.

Public Report Renderer

GET /marketing/backlinks-report.php?id=<ID>

Renders a saved report (read-only) with shareable Open Graph image support (optional og-backlinks.php). The page is meant for humans, not machines; there is no JSON response.

  • • The underlying data comes from backlink_reports.payload.
  • • For bulk programmatic access, query the DB directly or save structured data during scans.

Security & Limits

  • • CSRF: Endpoints expect csrf when called from a browser session. From same-origin pages, read it from a hidden input or PHP session.
  • • Rate limit: Session-level (e.g. 30 checks/hour). Burst usage may be throttled.
  • • Caching: 24h cache per domain/flags; deep scan page cache ~3h.
  • • Robots: Results depend on publicly available mentions; some JS-only pages may be missed.

FAQ

Do I need an API key?
No. These endpoints are free and same-origin. For public usage from another site, proxy through your server to add CSRF and rate-limit controls.
How do I pass the CSRF token?
From PHP templates, echo the token into your JS (as shown) or a hidden input. For server-to-server scripts, call the endpoint from the same origin or disable CSRF in your private fork.
What does deep_scan do?
It fetches each referring page to extract anchor text and refine link type detection. This is slower but returns richer data.
Can I get a CSV?
Yes — consume the JSON and output CSV in your own scripts, or save a report then export from the UI if you’ve added that flow.

Docs last updated: 20 January 2026

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