Threads, the social network owned by Meta, has announced that it will be making its API available to developers by June. This move comes as the company aims to expand its reach and provide users with more options for managing their Threads presence. Engineer Jesse Chen revealed that the API has been in development for the past few months and currently allows users to authenticate, publish threads, and access the content they post through third-party applications.
Chen expressed the company’s intention to enable creators, developers, and brands to easily share fresh ideas with their communities using their favorite third-party tools. Threads is already collaborating with a select group of partners, including social tools like Sprinklr, Sprout Social, Social News Desk, Hootsuite, and tech news board Techmeme. These partnerships will help Threads enhance its capabilities in areas such as moderation and insights gathering.
This announcement follows Instagram head Adam Mosseri’s confirmation last October that the social platform was working on an API to enable third-party experiences. Chen had previously mentioned that the company would focus on developing a content publishing endpoint. While the API has seen some updates, it remains unclear whether developers will be able to create third-party clients that offer a different way to experience Threads.
In recent years, social networks have imposed stricter restrictions on access to user data for developers. This has limited the growth of the third-party app ecosystem built around social platforms. However, decentralized social networks like Bluesky and Mastodon have emerged as alternatives, allowing developers to create new apps. Despite their potential, these decentralized networks have yet to achieve the same level of popularity as Twitter/X, Reddit, and Meta’s properties like Facebook and Instagram.
While Meta has committed to adopting the ActivityPub protocol for Threads and joining the fediverse, there has been no explicit mention of allowing developers to build alternative Threads clients. It remains to be seen whether Meta will fully embrace the development of third-party applications for Threads or maintain a more controlled approach.
The availability of Threads’ API to developers presents an exciting opportunity for the social network to expand its user base and offer a more diverse range of features. By collaborating with trusted partners and exploring additional capabilities for moderation and insights, Threads aims to provide a seamless experience for its users. As the June release approaches, developers and users alike will be eagerly anticipating the potential enhancements and possibilities that the API will bring to the Threads platform.