Dataset metadata search and retrieval
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openapi: 3.2.0
info:
title: USDA Ag Data Commons CKAN Datasets API
description: The USDA Ag Data Commons is an agricultural research data repository powered by DKAN/CKAN. The API provides metadata discovery for datasets from USDA Agricultural Research Service national programs. No authentication required for read access.
version: '1.0'
contact:
name: USDA National Agricultural Library - Ag Data Commons
url: https://agdatacommons.nal.usda.gov
license:
name: CC0 1.0 Universal
url: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
servers:
- url: https://data.nal.usda.gov
security: []
tags:
- name: Datasets
description: Dataset metadata search and retrieval
paths:
/api/action/package_search:
get:
tags:
- Datasets
operationId: searchDatasets
summary: Search Agricultural Research Datasets
description: Search the Ag Data Commons catalog for agricultural research datasets. Returns dataset metadata including title, description, author, and distribution formats.
parameters:
- name: q
in: query
description: Search query string
schema:
type: string
example: soil health
- name: fq
in: query
description: Filter query (e.g., 'tags:"corn" organization:"ars"')
schema:
type: string
- name: rows
in: query
description: Number of results to return (max 1000)
schema:
type: integer
default: 20
maximum: 1000
- name: start
in: query
description: Offset for pagination
schema:
type: integer
default: 0
- name: sort
in: query
description: Sort field and direction
schema:
type: string
example: score desc, metadata_modified desc
responses:
'200':
description: Dataset search results
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/PackageSearchResult'
/api/action/package_show:
get:
tags:
- Datasets
operationId: getDataset
summary: Get Dataset by ID
description: Retrieve full metadata for a specific dataset by its ID or name.
parameters:
- name: id
in: query
required: true
description: Dataset ID or name slug
schema:
type: string
responses:
'200':
description: Dataset metadata
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/PackageShowResult'
'404':
description: Dataset not found
/api/action/tag_list:
get:
tags:
- Datasets
operationId: listTags
summary: List Dataset Tags
description: Returns a list of all tags used in the Ag Data Commons catalog.
parameters:
- name: vocabulary_id
in: query
schema:
type: string
responses:
'200':
description: List of tags
content:
application/json:
schema:
type: object
properties:
success:
type: boolean
result:
type: array
items:
type: string
/api/action/organization_list:
get:
tags:
- Datasets
operationId: listOrganizations
summary: List Dataset Organizations
description: Returns a list of organizations (e.g., ARS national programs) in the catalog.
responses:
'200':
description: List of organizations
content:
application/json:
schema:
type: object
properties:
success:
type: boolean
result:
type: array
items:
type: string
/api/action/datastore_search:
get:
tags:
- Datasets
operationId: searchDatastoreResource
summary: Search Datastore Resource Records
description: Query records within a specific published dataset resource using the CKAN datastore. Returns tabular data rows from published datasets.
parameters:
- name: resource_id
in: query
required: true
description: The resource ID to query
schema:
type: string
- name: q
in: query
description: Full-text search query
schema:
type: string
- name: filters
in: query
description: JSON object of field-value filter pairs
schema:
type: string
- name: limit
in: query
description: Number of rows to return
schema:
type: integer
default: 100
maximum: 32000
- name: offset
in: query
description: Offset for pagination
schema:
type: integer
default: 0
- name: fields
in: query
description: Comma-separated list of fields to return
schema:
type: string
- name: sort
in: query
description: Comma-separated list of fields to sort by
schema:
type: string
responses:
'200':
description: Datastore query results
content:
application/json:
schema:
type: object
properties:
success:
type: boolean
result:
type: object
properties:
total:
type: integer
records:
type: array
items:
type: object
fields:
type: array
items:
type: object
components:
schemas:
PackageShowResult:
type: object
properties:
success:
type: boolean
result:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Dataset'
PackageSearchResult:
type: object
properties:
success:
type: boolean
result:
type: object
properties:
count:
type: integer
description: Total matching datasets
results:
type: array
items:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Dataset'
Dataset:
type: object
description: Agricultural research dataset metadata
properties:
id:
type: string
description: Unique dataset identifier
name:
type: string
description: URL-safe name slug
title:
type: string
description: Dataset title
notes:
type:
- string
- 'null'
description: Description of the dataset
author:
type:
- string
- 'null'
description: Dataset author(s)
author_email:
type:
- string
- 'null'
organization:
type:
- object
- 'null'
description: Organization (ARS national program)
properties:
name:
type: string
title:
type: string
tags:
type: array
items:
type: object
properties:
name:
type: string
display_name:
type: string
resources:
type: array
description: Data files and distribution links
items:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Resource'
metadata_created:
type: string
format: date-time
metadata_modified:
type: string
format: date-time
license_title:
type:
- string
- 'null'
Resource:
type: object
description: A data file or distribution of a dataset
properties:
id:
type: string
name:
type: string
description:
type:
- string
- 'null'
url:
type: string
format: uri
format:
type: string
description: File format (CSV, JSON, GeoTIFF, etc.)
size:
type:
- integer
- 'null'
created:
type: string
format: date-time
last_modified:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: date-time