# Douyin video search (backup) API

> The backup of douyin.videos.search, for when it cannot serve: videos matching keywords from a separate data path, in Douyin's own order, newest or most liked first, optionally only from the last day, week or half year. Caption, author, likes, comments, shares, saves and time posted.

Canonical page: https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/backup/videos/search/

- **Endpoint**: `GET /v1/douyin/backup/videos/search`
- **ID**: `douyin.backup.videos.search`
- **Price**: $0.03 per call · about 8 videos per page
- **Returns**: a page of about 8 videos (`data.items`, Post objects)
- **Status**: preview
- **Good for**: Content research, Competitor monitoring

## Price

One call costs $0.03 and returns one page of about 8 videos. Collecting 1,000 videos takes about 125 calls, $3.75 in total. Each page is a separate call; failed calls are not charged.

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `query` | string | yes |  | Keywords, as a person would type them into the platform search box. (e.g. `露营`) |
| `sort` | string: relevance / latest / popular | no | `relevance` | Douyin's own order (the default), newest first, or most liked first. Douyin does not rank a day's videos by likes: with published_within=day, each page comes back sorted by likes. |
| `published_within` | string: day / week / half_year | no |  | Only videos posted within the last day, week or half year; any time when left out. |
| `cursor` | string | no |  | Opaque cursor from page.next_cursor of the previous call. Each page is a separate call. |
| `view` | string: compact / standard / full | no | `standard` | How much of each object comes back. full adds platform-specific fields under ext. |
| `fields` | string[] | no |  | Fields to keep, by path (author.name), to save tokens. In a query string: comma-separated. |

cursor, view and fields work as described in [Requests](https://okdata.online/docs/requests/).

## Returned fields

Each item is a [Post](https://okdata.online/docs/objects/post/).

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `id` | string | Post ID on the platform. |
| `url` | string | Link to the post. |
| `type` | string | What kind of post it is. |
| `title` | string \| null | Title, where the platform has one (videos, notes, articles). |
| `text` | string | Caption, body or description as plain text; articles come as Markdown. |
| `lang` | string \| null | Language code, as reported or detected. |
| `published_at` | string \| null | When it was published, ISO 8601 in UTC; null only where the source gives no time (wechat_mp.articles.metrics, wechat_channels.videos.metrics, youtube.channels.videos.list with type=short), then listed in meta.unavailable. |
| `author` | AccountRef | Who posted it. |
| `metrics` | Metrics | Counts at fetch time; a count the platform hides is null. |
| `images` | string[] \| null | Image URLs for image posts and notes. |
| `hashtags` | string[] \| null | Hashtags or topics, without the # sign. |
| `ext` | object | Platform-specific extras. Only returned with view=full. |

## Request examples

### cURL

```bash
curl -G "https://api.okdata.online/v1/douyin/backup/videos/search" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OKDATA_API_KEY" \
  --data-urlencode 'query=露营'
```

### Python

```python
import os
import requests

resp = requests.get(
    "https://api.okdata.online/v1/douyin/backup/videos/search",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['OKDATA_API_KEY']}"},
    params={"query": "露营"},
    timeout=60,
)
body = resp.json()
if body["code"] != "ok":
    raise RuntimeError(f"{body['code']}: {body['message']} (charged: {body['charged']})")

for row in body["data"]["items"]:
    print(row["id"], row["metrics"]["likes"], row["text"][:60])
print("cost: $" + body["meta"]["billing"]["amount"])
```

### TypeScript

```ts
const url = new URL('https://api.okdata.online/v1/douyin/backup/videos/search');
url.searchParams.set('query', "露营");

const res = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.OKDATA_API_KEY}`,
  },
});
const body = await res.json();
if (body.code !== 'ok') throw new Error(`${body.code}: ${body.message}`);

for (const row of body.data.items) {
  console.log(row.id, row.metrics.likes, row.text.slice(0, 60));
}
console.log('cost: $' + body.meta.billing.amount);
```

### MCP

```json
{
  "name": "call",
  "arguments": {
    "capability": "douyin.backup.videos.search",
    "query": "露营"
  }
}
```

Or ask an agent that has the MCP server connected:

> Use Douyin video search (backup) and list the five posts with the most likes, with links.

## Response example

```json
{
  "code": "ok",
  "request_id": "0f6c2a8e-4b1d-4e0a-9a51-3c7d2b9e1f20",
  "data": {
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "7436185237401447690",
        "url": "https://www.douyin.com/video/7436185237401447690",
        "type": "video",
        "title": null,
        "text": "两晚山里露营，装备清单都在这了 #露营 #户外装备",
        "lang": "zh",
        "published_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00Z",
        "author": {
          "id": "MS4wLjABAAAAq8Xw2mKpT0",
          "username": "qingzhuang_tubu",
          "name": "轻装徒步",
          "avatar_url": "https://cdn.example.com/avatar/trailkit.jpg",
          "followers": 182300,
          "verified": true
        },
        "metrics": {
          "views": null,
          "likes": 48200,
          "comments": 1312,
          "shares": 2210,
          "favorites": 9650,
          "reposts": null
        },
        "images": null,
        "hashtags": [
          "露营",
          "户外装备"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "page": {
    "next_cursor": "eyJvIjoyMH0",
    "has_more": true
  },
  "warnings": [],
  "meta": {
    "capability": "douyin.backup.videos.search",
    "billing": {
      "amount": "0.03",
      "currency": "USD",
      "balance_after": "9.97"
    },
    "unavailable": {
      "metrics.views": "platform",
      "metrics.reposts": "platform"
    },
    "cached": false,
    "replayed": false,
    "fetched_at": "2026-11-11T08:00:00Z"
  }
}
```

## Errors

Errors share one shape: code, request_id, message and message_zh (a fixed sentence per code), charged, retry, retry_after_seconds, param and docs_url, with the specifics in problems. They are not charged; only settlement_unknown is unknown until looked up. The full table: https://okdata.online/docs/errors/

## Questions

### How much does the Douyin video search (backup) API cost?

One call costs $0.03 and returns one page of about 8 videos. Collecting 1,000 videos takes about 125 calls, $3.75 in total. Each page is a separate call; failed calls are not charged.

### How do I get the next page?

Pass page.next_cursor from the response back as the cursor parameter. When page.has_more is false there is nothing left. Every page is its own call at $0.03.

### Do I need a Douyin account, cookies or a QR login?

No. You send only your okdata API key. The data is public data from Douyin; nothing is fetched with your own Douyin account.

### Am I charged when a call fails?

No. Every error response says charged: false, except a timeout, which says charged: null until the outcome is known. Resend with the same Idempotency-Key and you are never charged twice.

### What if Douyin does not show a field?

The field is null, and meta.unavailable names it with the reason: platform (the platform never shows it) or capability (we cannot fetch it yet).

## More Douyin endpoints

- [Douyin video search](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/videos/search/): $0.02 per call · about 20 videos per page
- [Douyin video detail](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/videos/get/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin video comments](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/videos/comments/list/): $0.002 per call · about 20 comments per page
- [Douyin account profile](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/users/get/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin account videos](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/users/videos/list/): $0.002 per call · about 20 videos per page
- [Douyin hot search board](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/trends/list/): $0.002 per call · about 50 board entries per page
- [Douyin Xingtu creator search](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/search/): $0.004 per call · about 20 creators per page
- [Douyin Xingtu creator rate card](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/rates/get/): $0.04 per call
- [Douyin comment replies](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/comments/replies/list/): $0.002 per call · about 20 comments per page
- [Douyin hashtag videos](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/hashtags/videos/list/): $0.002 per call · about 10 videos per page
- [Douyin account search](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/users/search/): $0.002 per call · about 30 accounts per page
- [Douyin video play count](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/videos/metrics/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin related videos](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/videos/related/): $0.002 per call · about 10 videos per page
- [Douyin video boards](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/videos/trending/): $0.002 per call · about 9 videos per page
- [Douyin search suggestions](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/keywords/related/): $0.02 per call · about 10 results per page
- [Douyin index: brand trends](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/brands/history/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin index: brand vs industry](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/brands/metrics/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin index: account top videos](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/creators/videos/list/): $0.002 per call · about 20 videos per page
- [Douyin index: account followers](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/creators/audience/get/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin index: account daily averages](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/creators/metrics/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin index: keyword audience](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/keywords/audience/get/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin index: keyword trends](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/keywords/history/): $0.006 per call · about 1 results per page
- [Douyin index: related keywords](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/keywords/related/): $0.002 per call · about 170 results per page
- [Douyin index: live hot topics](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/trends/list/): $0.002 per call · about 30 board entries per page
- [Douyin index: top videos for a keyword](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/videos/search/): $0.002 per call · about 20 videos per page
- [Douyin account growth](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/users/history/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu creator profile](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/get/): $0.004 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu creator audience](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/audience/get/): $0.004 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu creator reach](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/metrics/): $0.004 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu creator videos](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/videos/list/): $0.004 per call · about 20 videos per page
- [Douyin Xingtu creator keywords](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/keywords/get/): $0.002 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu creator scores](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/scores/get/): $0.008 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu creator content mix](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/content_mix/get/): $0.004 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu creator conversion](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/creators/conversion/get/): $0.004 per call
- [Douyin Xingtu marketing calendar](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/campaigns/list/): $0.004 per call · about 40 results per page
- [Douyin Xingtu video report](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/videos/get/): $0.004 per call
- [Douyin account videos (backup)](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/backup/users/videos/list/): $0.0025 per call · about 20 videos per page

## At a glance

- **Short name**: Douyin video search (backup)
- **Also called**: douyin video search backup
- **Category**: [Social media](https://okdata.online/categories/social/)
- **Status**: preview. It may still change; any change is announced beforehand.
- **Price**: $0.03 per call · failed calls are free
- **Returns**: About 8 videos a page, with a cursor for the next page
- **If a call fails**: Not charged. When a data source fails, the next one is tried; errors and timeouts cost nothing.

## When it is charged

- Data comes back: $0.03 per call
- Bad parameters, errors, timeouts: Free

| When | Charge |
|---|---|
| Each further page | A new call: $0.03 |
| Most one call costs | $0.03 |
| An empty answer | $0.03 |
| Bad parameters, errors, timeouts | Free |
| A retry with the same Idempotency-Key within 24 hours | Charged once |

A failed call is free; an empty answer costs $0.03; not found is free.

Prices from price book 1b273c48fea9634e. [Every price on this platform](https://okdata.online/pricing/douyin/)

- New accounts get $0.10 of credit, no card needed: 3 calls to this endpoint.
- About 125 calls fetch 1,000 videos: $3.75 in all.

## Known limits

- About 8 videos come back per page; the platform sets the page size, so there is no page-size parameter.
- For the next page, pass `page.next_cursor` back as `cursor`. A cursor stays valid for 24 hours. When `page.has_more` is false there is nothing left.

## Fields by view

The view column is the smallest `view` a field comes back in: `compact` returns only compact fields, `standard` adds the standard ones, `full` returns everything. The default is `standard`.

- `compact`: `id`, `url`, `type`, `title`, `text`, `published_at`, `author`, `metrics`
- `standard`: `lang`, `images`, `hashtags`
- `full`: `ext`

## What this endpoint cannot give

- `metrics.views`: the platform does not show it (null, listed in meta.unavailable)
- `metrics.reposts`: the platform does not show it (null, listed in meta.unavailable)

## Common errors on this endpoint

| HTTP | Code | Meaning | Charged | Retry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | `invalid_params` | A parameter is missing, has the wrong type or value, or the method is wrong. problems lists each one; param names the first. | no | after a fix |
| 400 | `cursor_mismatch` | The cursor was sent to another endpoint, or with other parameters than the page it came from (view and fields may change). | no | after a fix |
| 401 | `unauthorized` | The key is missing, malformed, revoked, disabled or expired (reason says which when known). | no | no |
| 402 | `insufficient_balance` | The balance (available) cannot cover the most this call could cost (required). | no | after a fix |
| 410 | `cursor_expired` | The cursor is older than the endpoint's cursor lifetime (page.cursor_expires_at said when). | no | no |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | The account sent too many requests this minute (reason: rate) or has too many calls running (reason: concurrency). | no | yes |
| 500 | `settlement_unknown` | The data came back, but the charge could not be confirmed. | unknown until looked up | with the same Idempotency-Key |
| 502 | `upstream_failed` | Every data source for this endpoint failed on this request. | no | yes |
| 503 | `capability_paused` | This endpoint is paused right now; nothing ran. | no | yes |
| 504 | `timeout` | The data did not come back in time. The hold was released, so nothing was charged. | no | yes |

- Backup route of: [Douyin video search](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/videos/search/), $0.02 per call · about 20 videos per page

[All error codes](https://okdata.online/docs/errors/)

## Use it in your AI

> Read https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/backup/videos/search.md, then call this endpoint for me through okdata; my key is in the OKDATA_API_KEY environment variable. Use Douyin video search (backup) and list the five posts with the most likes, with links.

## Douyin endpoints by group

- [Douyin Xingtu API](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/xingtu/): Douyin Xingtu creator search $0.004, Douyin Xingtu creator rate card $0.04, Douyin Xingtu creator profile $0.004, Douyin Xingtu creator audience $0.004, Douyin Xingtu creator reach $0.004, Douyin Xingtu creator videos $0.004, Douyin Xingtu creator keywords $0.002, Douyin Xingtu creator scores $0.008, Douyin Xingtu creator content mix $0.004, Douyin Xingtu creator conversion $0.004, Douyin Xingtu marketing calendar $0.004, Douyin Xingtu video report $0.004
- [Douyin Ocean Engine index API](https://okdata.online/apis/douyin/index/): Douyin index: brand trends $0.002, Douyin index: brand vs industry $0.002, Douyin index: account top videos $0.002, Douyin index: account followers $0.002, Douyin index: account daily averages $0.002, Douyin index: keyword audience $0.002, Douyin index: keyword trends $0.006, Douyin index: related keywords $0.002, Douyin index: live hot topics $0.002, Douyin index: top videos for a keyword $0.002