x-api · diff
git:20260312.52daf17 to git:20260402.3152585
40 added, 24 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: x-api
description: X/Twitter API integration for posting tweets, threads, reading timelines, search, and analytics. Covers OAuth auth patterns, rate limits, and platform-native content posting. Use when the user wants to interact with X programmatically.
origin: ECC
---
# X API
Programmatic interaction with X (Twitter) for posting, reading, searching, and analytics.
## When to Activate
- User wants to post tweets or threads programmatically
- Reading timeline, mentions, or user data from X
- Searching X for content, trends, or conversations
- Building X integrations or bots
- Analytics and engagement tracking
- User says "post to X", "tweet", "X API", or "Twitter API"
## Authentication
- ### OAuth 2.0 (App-Only / User Context)
+ ### OAuth 2.0 Bearer Token (App-Only)
Best for: read-heavy operations, search, public data.
```bash
# Environment setup
export X_BEARER_TOKEN="your-bearer-token"
```
```python
import os
import requests
bearer = os.environ["X_BEARER_TOKEN"]
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {bearer}"}
# Search recent tweets
resp = requests.get(
"https://api.x.com/2/tweets/search/recent",
headers=headers,
params={"query": "claude code", "max_results": 10}
)
tweets = resp.json()
```
### OAuth 1.0a (User Context)
- Required for: posting tweets, managing account, DMs.
+ Required for: posting tweets, managing account, DMs, and any write flow.
```bash
# Environment setup — source before use
- export X_API_KEY="your-api-key"
- export X_API_SECRET="your-api-secret"
+ export X_CONSUMER_KEY="your-consumer-key"
+ export X_CONSUMER_SECRET="your-consumer-secret"
export X_ACCESS_TOKEN="your-access-token"
- export X_ACCESS_SECRET="your-access-secret"
+ export X_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET="your-access-token-secret"
```
+ Legacy aliases such as `X_API_KEY`, `X_API_SECRET`, and `X_ACCESS_SECRET` may exist in older setups. Prefer the `X_CONSUMER_*` and `X_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET` names when documenting or wiring new flows.
+
```python
import os
from requests_oauthlib import OAuth1Session
oauth = OAuth1Session(
- os.environ["X_API_KEY"],
- client_secret=os.environ["X_API_SECRET"],
+ os.environ["X_CONSUMER_KEY"],
+ client_secret=os.environ["X_CONSUMER_SECRET"],
resource_owner_key=os.environ["X_ACCESS_TOKEN"],
- resource_owner_secret=os.environ["X_ACCESS_SECRET"],
+ resource_owner_secret=os.environ["X_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET"],
)
```
## Core Operations
### Post a Tweet
```python
resp = oauth.post(
"https://api.x.com/2/tweets",
json={"text": "Hello from Claude Code"}
)
resp.raise_for_status()
tweet_id = resp.json()["data"]["id"]
```
### Post a Thread
```python
def post_thread(oauth, tweets: list[str]) -> list[str]:
ids = []
reply_to = None
for text in tweets:
payload = {"text": text}
if reply_to:
payload["reply"] = {"in_reply_to_tweet_id": reply_to}
resp = oauth.post("https://api.x.com/2/tweets", json=payload)
- resp.raise_for_status()
tweet_id = resp.json()["data"]["id"]
ids.append(tweet_id)
reply_to = tweet_id
return ids
```
### Read User Timeline
```python
resp = requests.get(
f"https://api.x.com/2/users/{user_id}/tweets",
headers=headers,
params={
"max_results": 10,
"tweet.fields": "created_at,public_metrics",
}
)
```
### Search Tweets
```python
resp = requests.get(
"https://api.x.com/2/tweets/search/recent",
headers=headers,
params={
"query": "from:affaanmustafa -is:retweet",
"max_results": 10,
"tweet.fields": "public_metrics,created_at",
}
)
```
+ ### Pull Recent Original Posts for Voice Modeling
+
+ ```python
+ resp = requests.get(
+ "https://api.x.com/2/tweets/search/recent",
+ headers=headers,
+ params={
+ "query": "from:affaanmustafa -is:retweet -is:reply",
+ "max_results": 25,
+ "tweet.fields": "created_at,public_metrics",
+ }
+ )
+ voice_samples = resp.json()
+ ```
+
### Get User by Username
```python
resp = requests.get(
"https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/affaanmustafa",
headers=headers,
params={"user.fields": "public_metrics,description,created_at"}
)
```
### Upload Media and Post
```python
# Media upload uses v1.1 endpoint
# Step 1: Upload media
media_resp = oauth.post(
"https://upload.twitter.com/1.1/media/upload.json",
files={"media": open("image.png", "rb")}
)
media_id = media_resp.json()["media_id_string"]
# Step 2: Post with media
resp = oauth.post(
"https://api.x.com/2/tweets",
json={"text": "Check this out", "media": {"media_ids": [media_id]}}
)
```
- ## Rate Limits Reference
-
- | Endpoint | Limit | Window |
- |----------|-------|--------|
- | POST /2/tweets | 200 | 15 min |
- | GET /2/tweets/search/recent | 450 | 15 min |
- | GET /2/users/:id/tweets | 1500 | 15 min |
- | GET /2/users/by/username | 300 | 15 min |
- | POST media/upload | 415 | 15 min |
+ ## Rate Limits
- Always check `x-rate-limit-remaining` and `x-rate-limit-reset` headers.
+ X API rate limits vary by endpoint, auth method, and account tier, and they change over time. Always:
+ - Check the current X developer docs before hardcoding assumptions
+ - Read `x-rate-limit-remaining` and `x-rate-limit-reset` headers at runtime
+ - Back off automatically instead of relying on static tables in code
```python
import time
remaining = int(resp.headers.get("x-rate-limit-remaining", 0))
if remaining < 5:
reset = int(resp.headers.get("x-rate-limit-reset", 0))
wait = max(0, reset - int(time.time()))
print(f"Rate limit approaching. Resets in {wait}s")
```
## Error Handling
```python
resp = oauth.post("https://api.x.com/2/tweets", json={"text": content})
if resp.status_code == 201:
return resp.json()["data"]["id"]
elif resp.status_code == 429:
reset = int(resp.headers["x-rate-limit-reset"])
raise Exception(f"Rate limited. Resets at {reset}")
elif resp.status_code == 403:
raise Exception(f"Forbidden: {resp.json().get('detail', 'check permissions')}")
else:
raise Exception(f"X API error {resp.status_code}: {resp.text}")
```
## Security
- **Never hardcode tokens.** Use environment variables or `.env` files.
- **Never commit `.env` files.** Add to `.gitignore`.
- **Rotate tokens** if exposed. Regenerate at developer.x.com.
- **Use read-only tokens** when write access is not needed.
- **Store OAuth secrets securely** — not in source code or logs.
## Integration with Content Engine
- Use `content-engine` skill to generate platform-native content, then post via X API:
- 1. Generate content with content-engine (X platform format)
- 2. Validate length (280 chars for single tweet)
- 3. Post via X API using patterns above
- 4. Track engagement via public_metrics
+ Use `brand-voice` plus `content-engine` to generate platform-native content, then post via X API:
+ 1. Pull recent original posts when voice matching matters
+ 2. Build or reuse a `VOICE PROFILE`
+ 3. Generate content with `content-engine` in X-native format
+ 4. Validate length and thread structure
+ 5. Return the draft for approval unless the user explicitly asked to post now
+ 6. Post via X API only after approval
+ 7. Track engagement via public_metrics
## Related Skills
+ - `brand-voice` — Build a reusable voice profile from real X and site/source material
- `content-engine` — Generate platform-native content for X
- `crosspost` — Distribute content across X, LinkedIn, and other platforms
+ - `connections-optimizer` — Reorganize the X graph before drafting network-driven outreach