Documentation
Documentation
https://github.com/basecamp/bc3-api
Documentation
https://github.com/basecamp/bc3-api/blob/master/sections/authentication.md
OpenAPI Specification
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
title: Basecamp Authorization Messages API
description: The Basecamp API is a REST API that provides programmatic access to Basecamp's project management and team communication platform. It enables developers to manage projects, to-do lists, messages, documents, schedules, campfires, uploads, card tables, templates, and team members across Basecamp accounts. The API uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication and returns JSON responses, with all requests scoped to an account ID in the base URL path. Resources include projects, people, to-dos, message boards, documents, card tables, campfires, questionnaires, and webhooks, covering the full breadth of Basecamp's collaboration toolset.
version: '1.0'
contact:
name: Basecamp Developer Support
url: https://github.com/basecamp/bc3-api
termsOfService: https://basecamp.com/terms
servers:
- url: https://3.basecampapi.com/{accountId}
description: Production Server
variables:
accountId:
description: Your Basecamp account ID
default: '999999999'
security:
- bearerAuth: []
tags:
- name: Messages
description: Manage messages on message boards
paths:
/message_boards/{messageBoardId}/messages.json:
get:
operationId: listMessages
summary: List messages
description: Returns a paginated list of active messages in the specified message board. Messages can be sorted by created_at or updated_at.
tags:
- Messages
parameters:
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/MessageBoardId'
- name: sort
in: query
description: Sort field.
required: false
schema:
type: string
enum:
- created_at
- updated_at
- name: direction
in: query
description: Sort direction.
required: false
schema:
type: string
enum:
- asc
- desc
responses:
'200':
description: List of messages
content:
application/json:
schema:
type: array
items:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Message'
'401':
$ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
'404':
$ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound'
post:
operationId: createMessage
summary: Create a message
description: Creates a new message in the specified message board. Set status to "active" to publish immediately; otherwise the message is saved as a draft.
tags:
- Messages
parameters:
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/MessageBoardId'
requestBody:
required: true
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/MessageCreateRequest'
responses:
'201':
description: Message created
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Message'
'400':
$ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest'
'401':
$ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
/messages/{messageId}.json:
get:
operationId: getMessage
summary: Get a message
description: Returns the message with the given ID.
tags:
- Messages
parameters:
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/MessageId'
responses:
'200':
description: Message details
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Message'
'401':
$ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
'404':
$ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound'
put:
operationId: updateMessage
summary: Update a message
description: Updates the subject, content, or category of the specified message.
tags:
- Messages
parameters:
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/MessageId'
requestBody:
required: true
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/MessageUpdateRequest'
responses:
'200':
description: Updated message
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Message'
'401':
$ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
'404':
$ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound'
components:
schemas:
Recording:
type: object
description: A generic recording object representing any Basecamp content resource such as a message, to-do, document, comment, or upload.
properties:
id:
type: integer
description: Recording ID
status:
type: string
description: Recording status
enum:
- active
- archived
- trashed
visible_to_clients:
type: boolean
description: Whether this recording is visible to client users
created_at:
type: string
format: date-time
description: Timestamp when the recording was created
updated_at:
type: string
format: date-time
description: Timestamp when the recording was last updated
title:
type: string
description: Title or summary of the recording
inherits_status:
type: boolean
description: Whether this recording inherits its status from a parent
type:
type: string
description: Recording type (e.g., Message, Todo, Document)
url:
type: string
format: uri
description: API URL for this recording
app_url:
type: string
format: uri
description: Web URL for this recording
bucket:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/BucketRef'
creator:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/PersonRef'
PersonRef:
type: object
description: Minimal reference to a Basecamp person
properties:
id:
type: integer
description: Person ID
attachable_sgid:
type: string
description: Signed global ID for attaching this person
name:
type: string
description: Full name
email_address:
type: string
format: email
description: Email address
personable_type:
type: string
description: Type of personable (User, Client, etc.)
title:
type: string
description: Job title
bio:
type: string
description: Short biography
location:
type: string
description: Location string
created_at:
type: string
format: date-time
description: Account creation timestamp
updated_at:
type: string
format: date-time
description: Last update timestamp
admin:
type: boolean
description: Whether the person is an account administrator
owner:
type: boolean
description: Whether the person is the account owner
client:
type: boolean
description: Whether the person is a client user
employee:
type: boolean
description: Whether the person is an employee
time_zone:
type: string
description: IANA time zone name
avatar_url:
type: string
format: uri
description: URL to the person's avatar image
company:
type: object
description: Company the person belongs to
properties:
id:
type: integer
description: Company ID
name:
type: string
description: Company name
BucketRef:
type: object
description: Reference to the project (bucket) that contains a resource
properties:
id:
type: integer
description: Project ID
name:
type: string
description: Project name
type:
type: string
description: Resource type, always "Project"
url:
type: string
format: uri
description: API URL for the project
app_url:
type: string
format: uri
description: Web URL for the project
MessageCreateRequest:
type: object
required:
- subject
properties:
subject:
type: string
description: Message subject (title)
content:
type: string
description: Message body in HTML format
status:
type: string
description: Set to "active" to publish immediately
enum:
- active
- draft
category_id:
type: integer
description: Optional message category ID
subscriptions:
type: array
description: Person IDs to notify about this message
items:
type: integer
MessageUpdateRequest:
type: object
properties:
subject:
type: string
description: Updated message subject
content:
type: string
description: Updated message body in HTML format
category_id:
type: integer
description: Updated message category ID
Message:
allOf:
- $ref: '#/components/schemas/Recording'
- type: object
properties:
subject:
type: string
description: Message subject/title
content:
type: string
description: HTML-formatted message body
comments_count:
type: integer
description: Number of comments on this message
comments_url:
type: string
format: uri
description: API URL to list comments
boosts_count:
type: integer
description: Number of boosts (reactions) on this message
Error:
type: object
properties:
error:
type: string
description: Human-readable error message
responses:
BadRequest:
description: Bad request — missing required fields or invalid values
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
Unauthorized:
description: Unauthorized — missing or invalid Bearer token
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
NotFound:
description: Not found — the requested resource does not exist
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
parameters:
MessageId:
name: messageId
in: path
required: true
description: Unique identifier of the message
schema:
type: integer
MessageBoardId:
name: messageBoardId
in: path
required: true
description: Unique identifier of the message board
schema:
type: integer
securitySchemes:
bearerAuth:
type: http
scheme: bearer
description: 'OAuth 2.0 Bearer token obtained via the Basecamp authorization code flow at launchpad.37signals.com. Include as "Authorization: Bearer {token}" in all requests.'
externalDocs:
description: Basecamp API Documentation
url: https://github.com/basecamp/bc3-api