## Table of Contents

- [embed](#embed)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example)
- [Why use embed](#why-use-embed)
- [HTML integration](#html-integration)
- [CSS integration](#css-integration)
- [Markdown integration](#markdown-integration)
- [Common embed fields](#common-embed-fields)
- [Combining with other parameters](#combining-with-other-parameters)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example-1)
- [Open Graph images](#open-graph-images)
- [Security considerations](#security-considerations)

---

[](https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview)

[API](https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview)

[](https://microlink.io/docs/guides)

GUIDES

[](https://microlink.io/docs/mql/getting-started/overview)

MQL

[](https://microlink.io/docs/sdk/getting-started/overview)

SDK

[](https://microlink.io/docs/cards/getting-started/overview)

CARDS

## embed

It returns the specified data field as response over the target [url](https://microlink.io/docs/api/parameters/url), mimicking the same headers and body of the original resource.

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480' URL with 'screenshot' & 'embed' API parameters:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480&screenshot&embed=screenshot.url
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480" \
  -d "screenshot=true" \
  -d "embed=screenshot.url"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480', {
  screenshot: true,
  embed: "screenshot.url"
})
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480",
    "screenshot": "true",
    "embed": "screenshot.url"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480",
  screenshot: "true",
  embed: "screenshot.url"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480",
    "screenshot" => "true",
    "embed" => "screenshot.url"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480")
    q.Set("screenshot", "true")
    q.Set("embed", "screenshot.url")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13713480', {

  screenshot: true,

  embed: "screenshot.url"

})
```

You can use dot notation to reference a nested data field of the response payload.

## Why use embed

The embed parameter transforms Microlink API from a JSON endpoint into a direct asset server. Instead of receiving JSON and parsing it with JavaScript, you get the actual resource (image, PDF, etc.) that can be used directly in:

- HTML `<img>` tags
- CSS `background-image` properties
- Markdown image syntax
- Open Graph meta tags

## HTML integration

Embed screenshots directly in your HTML markup:

``` html
<img

  src="https://api.microlink.io/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.ycombinator.com%2Fitem%3Fid%3D13713480&meta=false&screenshot=&embed=screenshot.url"

  alt="Hacker News"

>
```

And it will be rendered as an external image:

## CSS integration

Use embedded URLs directly in stylesheets:

``` bash
.hero-background {

  background-image: url("/images/image-1.png");

  background-size: cover;

}
```

## Markdown integration

``` md
![Website Preview](/images/image-1.png)
```

## Common embed fields

| Field            | Description          | Use case               |
| ---------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------- |
| `screenshot.url` | Screenshot image URL | Social cards, previews |
| `pdf.url`        | Generated PDF URL    | Document downloads     |
| `image.url`      | Primary image URL    | Link previews          |
| `logo.url`       | Website logo URL     | Brand displays         |
| `video.url`      | Video source URL     | Media embeds           |

## Combining with other parameters

Embed works well with other parameters for customized output:

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://microlink.io' URL with 'screenshot', 'device' & 'embed' API parameters:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://microlink.io&screenshot&device='iPhone X'&embed=screenshot.url
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://microlink.io" \
  -d "screenshot=true" \
  -d "device=iPhone%20X" \
  -d "embed=screenshot.url"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://microlink.io', {
  screenshot: true,
  device: "iPhone X",
  embed: "screenshot.url"
})
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://microlink.io",
    "screenshot": "true",
    "device": "iPhone X",
    "embed": "screenshot.url"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://microlink.io",
  screenshot: "true",
  device: "iPhone X",
  embed: "screenshot.url"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://microlink.io",
    "screenshot" => "true",
    "device" => "iPhone X",
    "embed" => "screenshot.url"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://microlink.io")
    q.Set("screenshot", "true")
    q.Set("device", "iPhone X")
    q.Set("embed", "screenshot.url")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://microlink.io', {

  screenshot: true,

  device: "iPhone X",

  embed: "screenshot.url"

})
```

Generate and embed a mobile screenshot directly.

## Open Graph images

A common use case is generating dynamic Open Graph images:

``` html
<meta property="og:image" content="https://api.microlink.io/?url=https://your-site.com/blog/post&screenshot=true&meta=false&embed=screenshot.url">
```

## Security considerations

To authenticate requests securely when using embed in client-side code, use [](https://github.com/microlinkhq/proxy)

[proxy](https://github.com/microlinkhq/proxy)

and [](https://github.com/microlinkhq/edge-proxy)

edge-proxy

to protect your API credentials.

Read more about that at the [authentication](https://microlink.io/docs/api/basics/authentication) section.