## Table of Contents

- [Technology detection](#technology-detection)
- [Run technology detection only](#run-technology-detection-only)
  - [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)
- [What you get](#what-you-get)
- [Technology detection vs Lighthouse](#technology-detection-vs-lighthouse)
- [Keep it smaller](#keep-it-smaller)
  - [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)

---

[](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

## Technology detection

Technology detection is the lightweight side of Insights. Use it when you want to know what stack a site runs without paying the cost of a full Lighthouse report.

## Run technology detection only

Disable Lighthouse and keep only technologies enabled:

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

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://microlink.io&insights.technologies
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://microlink.io" \
  -d "insights.technologies=true" \
  -d "insights.lighthouse=false" \
  -d "meta=false"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

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

const { data } = await mql('https://microlink.io', {
  insights: {
    technologies: true,
    lighthouse: false
  },
  meta: false
})
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

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

querystring = {
    "url": "https://microlink.io",
    "insights.technologies": "true",
    "insights.lighthouse": "false",
    "meta": "false"
}

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",
  insights.technologies: "true",
  insights.lighthouse: "false",
  meta: "false"
}

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",
    "insights.technologies" => "true",
    "insights.lighthouse" => "false",
    "meta" => "false"
];

$query = http_build_query($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("insights.technologies", "true")
    q.Set("insights.lighthouse", "false")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    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', {

  insights: {

    technologies: true,

    lighthouse: false

  },

  meta: false

})
```

This is the best starting point when you only care about the site's stack, not its audit report.

## What you get

Each technology entry includes:

- `name` — the normalized technology name
- `confidence` — how confident the detector is, from `0` to `100`
- `logo` — the technology logo URL
- `url` — the main website for that technology
- `categories` — one or more categories such as `Analytics`, `CDN`, or `JavaScript frameworks`

See the [technologies reference](https://microlink.io/docs/api/parameters/insights/technologies) for the detailed shape.

## Technology detection vs Lighthouse

| If you need                                                   | Use                     |
| ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| Frameworks, CMSs, CDNs, analytics tools, or payment providers | `insights.technologies` |
| Performance, SEO, accessibility, or best-practices audits     | `insights.lighthouse`   |
| Both stack and audit data                                     | `insights: true`        |

Reach for Lighthouse only when the workflow genuinely needs audit data.

## Keep it smaller

If you want a smaller JSON payload, keep only the `insights` field:

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

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://microlink.io&insights.technologies&filter=insights
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://microlink.io" \
  -d "insights.technologies=true" \
  -d "insights.lighthouse=false" \
  -d "meta=false" \
  -d "filter=insights"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

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

const { data } = await mql('https://microlink.io', {
  insights: {
    technologies: true,
    lighthouse: false
  },
  meta: false,
  filter: "insights"
})
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

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

querystring = {
    "url": "https://microlink.io",
    "insights.technologies": "true",
    "insights.lighthouse": "false",
    "meta": "false",
    "filter": "insights"
}

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",
  insights.technologies: "true",
  insights.lighthouse: "false",
  meta: "false",
  filter: "insights"
}

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",
    "insights.technologies" => "true",
    "insights.lighthouse" => "false",
    "meta" => "false",
    "filter" => "insights"
];

$query = http_build_query($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("insights.technologies", "true")
    q.Set("insights.lighthouse", "false")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    q.Set("filter", "insights")
    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', {

  insights: {

    technologies: true,

    lighthouse: false

  },

  meta: false,

  filter: "insights"

})
```

Enable only technologies and filter down to `insights` when you want the smallest useful JSON response.

If the result looks wrong on a SPA, try `prerender: true`. If the page is private, locale-dependent, or blocked, continue with [troubleshooting](https://microlink.io/docs/guides/insights/troubleshooting).

Learn how to generate and customize audit reports in [Lighthouse reports](https://microlink.io/docs/guides/insights/lighthouse-reports).