Developer Resources

Overview

This section provides essential tools, references, and resources to help you integrate and troubleshoot the You.com API effectively.

Quick Links

SDKs & Libraries

Python SDK

• Full type hints and async support
• Automatic retry logic
• Streaming support for agents
• View Documentation →

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Integrate You.com search directly into agentic IDEs like Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and more:

• Quick setup with hosted server or local NPM package
• Works with 10+ popular development environments
• Real-time web search for AI assistants
• View MCP Documentation →

Authentication

All API requests require authentication using an API key.

Get your API Key

1. Visit the You.com platform
2. Create a new API key
3. Copy and store it securely

Using Your API Key

Include your API key in the request header:

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curl --request GET \
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  --url 'https://ydc-index.io/v1/search?query=example' \
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  --header 'X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY'

For Agent APIs, use Bearer token authentication:

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curl -N \
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  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
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  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
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  -X POST https://api.you.com/v1/agents/runs \
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  -d '{"agent": "express", "input": "test", "stream": true}'

Rate Limits & Quotas

API usage is subject to rate limits based on your subscription tier:

• Free Tier: Limited requests per day
• Paid Tiers: Higher limits based on plan

Rate limit details are included in response headers:

• X-RateLimit-Limit - Total requests allowed
• X-RateLimit-Remaining - Requests remaining
• X-RateLimit-Reset - Time when limit resets (Unix timestamp)

When you exceed rate limits, you’ll receive a 429 Too Many Requests response.

Handling Rate Limits:

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import time
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import requests
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def make_request_with_retry(url, headers):
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    response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
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    if response.status_code == 429:
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        retry_after = int(response.headers.get('Retry-After', 60))
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        print(f"Rate limited. Retrying after {retry_after} seconds...")
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        time.sleep(retry_after)
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        return make_request_with_retry(url, headers)
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    return response

For higher rate limits, upgrade your plan or contact [email protected].

Best Practices

1. Use SDKs When Possible

SDKs handle authentication, retries, and error handling automatically:

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# ✅ Good: Using SDK
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from youdotcom import YouClient
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client = YouClient(api_key=os.getenv("YDC_API_KEY"))
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response = client.search(query="example")
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# ❌ Less ideal: Manual requests
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import requests
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response = requests.get(
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    "https://ydc-index.io/v1/search",
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    params={"query": "example"},
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    headers={"X-API-Key": os.getenv("YDC_API_KEY")}
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)

2. Implement Exponential Backoff

For retry logic, use exponential backoff to avoid overwhelming the API:

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import time
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def exponential_backoff(attempt):
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    return min(2 ** attempt, 60)  # Max 60 seconds
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for attempt in range(5):
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    try:
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        response = client.search(query="test")
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        break
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    except RateLimitError:
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        if attempt < 4:
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            wait_time = exponential_backoff(attempt)
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            time.sleep(wait_time)
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        else:
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            raise

3. Use Streaming for Agents

Provide better UX by streaming agent responses:

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# ✅ Good: Stream responses for real-time feedback
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for chunk in client.agents.express_stream(input="query"):
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    if chunk.type == "response.output_text.delta":
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        print(chunk.delta, end="", flush=True)
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# ❌ Less ideal: Wait for complete response
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response = client.agents.express(input="query")
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print(response.answer)  # User waits entire time

4. Cache When Appropriate

Cache search results for frequently asked questions:

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from functools import lru_cache
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@lru_cache(maxsize=100)
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def cached_search(query: str):
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    return client.search(query=query)

5. Handle Errors Gracefully

Always provide fallback behavior:

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try:
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    response = client.search(query=user_query)
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except AuthenticationError:
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    return "Configuration error. Please contact support."
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except RateLimitError:
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    return "Too many requests. Please try again in a moment."
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except APIError as e:
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    logger.error(f"API error: {e}")
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    return "Unable to complete search. Please try again."

Frequently Asked Questions

Support & Community

Get Help

• Email Support: [email protected]
• Discord Community: Join our Discord
• GitHub Issues: Report SDK bugs and feature requests
• API Console: you.com/platform

Stay Updated

• API Status: status.you.com (if available)
• Changelog: Check back for API updates and new features
• Blog: you.com/resources

Additional Resources