API:Account creation
| This page is part of the MediaWiki Action API documentation. |
| MediaWiki version: | ≥ 1.27 |
This page documents the account creation API as of MediaWiki 1.27. Documentation of the API as it existed in earlier versions is available here: Api:Account creation/pre-1.27.
API documentation
Creating an account
The process has three general steps:
- Fetch the fields from API:Authmanagerinfo and the token from API:Tokens.
- Send a POST request with the fetched token, user information and other fields, and return URL to the API.
- Deal with the response, which might involve further POST requests to supply more information.
Example 1: Process on a wiki without special authentication extensions
A wiki without special authentication extensions can be rather straightforward. If your code knows which fields will be required, it might skip the call to API:Authmanagerinfo and just assume which fields will be needed (i.e. username, password & retyped password, email, possibly realname).
If you are creating an account for someone else, you'll need to specify a reason for the same by including a
reason parameter to the POST request. You could also use mailpassword in place of password and retype parameters to have MediaWiki send the new user a temporary password via email.POST request
Response
{
"createaccount": {
"status": "PASS",
"username": "Zane"
}
}
Sample code
Python
#!/usr/bin/python3
"""
create_account.py
MediaWiki API Demos
Demo of `createaccount` module: Create an account on a wiki without the
special authentication extensions
MIT license
"""
import requests
S = requests.Session()
WIKI_URL = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080"
API_ENDPOINT = WIKI_URL + "/w/api.php"
# First step
# Retrieve account creation token from `tokens` module
PARAMS_0 = {
'action':"query",
'meta':"tokens",
'type':"createaccount",
'format':"json"
}
R = S.get(url=API_ENDPOINT, params=PARAMS_0)
DATA = R.json()
TOKEN = DATA['query']['tokens']['createaccounttoken']
# Second step
# Send a post request with the fetched token and other data (user information,
# return URL, etc.) to the API to create an account
PARAMS_1 = {
'action': "createaccount",
'createtoken': TOKEN,
'username': 'your_username',
'password': 'your_password',
'retype': 'retype_your_password',
'createreturnurl': WIKI_URL,
'format': "json"
}
R = S.post(API_ENDPOINT, data=PARAMS_1)
DATA = R.json()
print(DATA)
PHP
<?php
/*
create_account.php
MediaWiki API Demos
Demo of `createaccount` module: Create an account on a wiki without the
special authentication extensions
MIT license
*/
$wikiUrl = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080";
$endPoint = $wikiUrl . "/w/api.php";
$createAccount_Token = getCreateAccountToken(); // Step 1
createAccount( $createAccount_Token ); // Step 2
// Step 1: GET request to fetch createaccount token
function getCreateAccountToken() {
global $endPoint;
$params1 = [
"action" => "query",
"meta" => "tokens",
"type" => "createaccount",
"format" => "json"
];
$url = $endPoint . "?" . http_build_query( $params1 );
$ch = curl_init( $url );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookie.txt" );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookie.txt" );
$output = curl_exec( $ch );
curl_close( $ch );
$result = json_decode( $output, true );
return $result["query"]["tokens"]["createaccounttoken"];
}
// Step 2: POST request with the fetched token and other data (user information,
// return URL, etc.) to the API to create an account
function createAccount( $createAccount_Token ) {
global $endPoint, $wikiUrl;
$params2 = [
"action" => "createaccount",
"createtoken" => $createAccount_Token,
"username" => "your_username",
"password" => "your_password",
"retype" => "retype_your_password",
"createreturnurl" => $wikiUrl,
"format" => "json"
];
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_URL, $endPoint );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_POST, true );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query( $params2 ) );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookie.txt" );
curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookie.txt" );
$output = curl_exec( $ch );
curl_close( $ch );
echo( $output );
}
JavaScript
/*
create_account.js
MediaWiki API Demos
Demo of `createaccount` module: Create an account on a wiki without the
special authentication extensions
MIT license
*/
var request = require('request').defaults({jar: true}),
wikiUrl = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080",
endPoint = wikiUrl + "/w/api.php";
// Step 1: GET request to fetch createaccount token
function getCreateAccountToken() {
var params_0 = {
action: "query",
meta: "tokens",
type: "createaccount",
format: "json"
};
request.get({ url: endPoint, qs: params_0 }, function (error, res, body) {
if (error) {
return;
}
var data = JSON.parse(body);
createaccount(data.query.tokens.createaccounttoken);
});
}
// Step 2: POST request with the fetched token and other data (user information,
// return URL, etc.) to the API to create an account
function createaccount(createaccount_token) {
var params_1 = {
action: "createaccount",
username: "your_username",
password: "your_password",
retype: "retype_your_password",
createreturnurl: wikiUrl,
createtoken: createaccount_token,
format: "json"
};
request.post({ url: endPoint, form: params_1 }, function (error, res, body) {
if (error) {
return;
}
console.log(body);
});
}
// Start From Step 1
getCreateAccountToken();
MediaWiki JS
/*
create_account.js
MediaWiki API Demos
Demo of `createaccount` module: Create an account on a wiki without the
special authentication extensions
MIT License
*/
var params = {
action: 'query',
meta: 'tokens',
type: 'createaccount',
format: 'json'
},
api = new mw.Api();
api.get( params ).done( function ( data ) {
var token = data.query.tokens.createaccounttoken,
params1 = {
action: 'createaccount',
username: 'your_username',
password: 'your_password',
retype: 'retype_your_password',
createreturnurl: 'http:' + mw.config.get( 'wgServer' ),
createtoken: token,
format: 'json'
};
api.post( params1 ).done( function ( data ) {
console.log( data );
} );
} );
Example 2: Process on a wiki with a CAPTCHA extension
Note the first step below could, if you'd rather, be done as two steps: one to fetch the fields available from API:Authmanagerinfo and another to fetch the token from API:Tokens.
First step: Fetch fields available from API:Authmanagerinfo and token from API:Tokens
api.php?
| Result |
|---|
{
"batchcomplete": "",
"query": {
"authmanagerinfo": {
"canauthenticatenow": "",
"cancreateaccounts": "",
"preservedusername": "",
"requests": [
{
"id": "CaptchaAuthenticationRequest",
"metadata": {
"type": "image",
"mime": "image/png"
},
"required": "required",
"provider": "CaptchaAuthenticationRequest",
"account": "CaptchaAuthenticationRequest",
"fields": {
"captchaId": {
"type": "hidden",
"value": "16649214",
"label": "CAPTCHA ID",
"help": "This value should be sent back unchanged."
},
"captchaInfo": {
"type": "null",
"value": "/w/index.php?title=Special:Captcha/image&wpCaptchaId=16649214",
"label": "To help protect against automated account creation, please enter the words that appear below in the box ([[Special:Captcha/help|more info]]):",
"help": "Description of the CAPTCHA."
},
"captchaWord": {
"type": "string",
"label": "CAPTCHA",
"help": "Solution of the CAPTCHA."
}
}
}
...
]
},
"tokens": {
"createaccounttoken": "1de8d3f8023305742e69db9e16b4d5365bd82f9c+\\"
}
}
}
|
Second step: Send a post request along with a create account token, user information and return URL
api.php?
| Result |
|---|
{
"createaccount": {
"status": "PASS",
"username": "Zane"
}
}
|
Sample Code
Note this code sample separates the API:Authmanagerinfo and API:Tokens requests, and generally assumes there will be a CAPTCHA and no other complications.
| create_account_with_captcha.py |
|---|
#!/usr/bin/python3
"""
create_account_with_captcha.py
MediaWiki Action API Code Samples
Demo of `createaccount` module: Create an account on a wiki with a special
authentication extension installed. This example considers a case of a wiki
where captcha is enabled through extensions like ConfirmEdit
(https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:ConfirmEdit)
MIT license
"""
import requests
from flask import Flask, render_template, flash, request
S = requests.Session()
WIKI_URL = "https://test.wikipedia.org"
API_ENDPOINT = WIKI_URL + "/w/api.php"
# App config.
DEBUG = True
APP = Flask(__name__)
APP.config.from_object(__name__)
APP.config['SECRET_KEY'] = 'enter_your_secret_key'
@APP.route("/", methods=['GET', 'POST'])
def show_form():
""" Render form template and handle form submission request """
fields = get_form_fields()
captcha = fields['CaptchaAuthenticationRequest']
captcha_url = WIKI_URL + captcha['captchaInfo']['value']
captcha_id = captcha['captchaId']['value']
display_fields = []
user_fields = []
captcha_fields = []
for field in fields:
for name in fields[field]:
details = {
'name': name,
'type': fields[field][name]['type'],
'label': fields[field][name]['label']
}
if field != "CaptchaAuthenticationRequest":
user_fields.append(details)
else:
if name == 'captchaWord':
captcha_fields.append(details)
display_fields = user_fields + captcha_fields
if request.method == 'POST':
create_account(request.form, captcha_id)
return render_template('create_account_form.html', \
captcha=captcha_url, fields=display_fields)
def get_form_fields():
""" Fetch the form fields from `authmanagerinfo` module """
result = {}
response = S.get(url=API_ENDPOINT, params={
'action': 'query',
'meta': 'authmanagerinfo',
'amirequestsfor': 'create',
'format': 'json'
})
data = response.json()
query = data and data['query']
authmanagerinfo = query and query['authmanagerinfo']
fields = authmanagerinfo and authmanagerinfo['requests']
for field in fields:
if field['id'] in ('MediaWiki\\Auth\\UserDataAuthenticationRequest', \
'CaptchaAuthenticationRequest', 'MediaWiki\\Auth\\PasswordAuthenticationRequest'):
result[field['id']] = field['fields']
return result
def create_account(form, captcha_id):
""" Send a post request along with create account token, user information
and return URL to the API to create an account on a wiki """
createtoken = fetch_create_token()
response = S.post(url=API_ENDPOINT, data={
'action': 'createaccount',
'createtoken': createtoken,
'username': form['username'],
'password': form['password'],
'retype': form['retype'],
'email': form['email'],
'createreturnurl': 'http://127.0.0.1:5000/',
'captchaId': captcha_id,
'captchaWord': form['captchaWord'],
'format': 'json'
})
data = response.json()
createaccount = data['createaccount']
if createaccount['status'] == "PASS":
flash('Success! An account with username ' + \
form['username'] + ' has been created!')
else:
flash('Oops! Something went wrong -- ' + \
createaccount['messagecode'] + "." + createaccount['message'])
def fetch_create_token():
""" Fetch create account token via `tokens` module """
response = S.get(url=API_ENDPOINT, params={
'action': 'query',
'meta': 'tokens',
'type': 'createaccount',
'format': 'json'
})
data = response.json()
return data['query']['tokens']['createaccounttoken']
if __name__ == "__main__":
APP.run()
|
| create_account_form.html |
|---|
<!DOCTYPE html>
<title>MediaWiki Create Account</title>
<!-- CSS files are in here: https://github.com/srish/MediaWiki-Action-API-Code-Samples/tree/master/static -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="static/bootstrap/css/bootstrap.min.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="static/css/account_form.css">
<div class="container">
<h2>Create MediaWiki Account</h2>
<form method="POST">
<div class="form-group">
<div class="form-field">
<div class="label-field">Enter your username</div>
<input name="username">
</div>
<div class="form-field">
<div class="label-field">Password</div>
<input type="password" name="password">
</div>
<div class="form-field">
<div class="label-field">Confirm password</div>
<input type="password" name="confirm-password">
</div>
<div class="form-field">
<div class="label-field">Enter address (optional)</div>
<input name="email">
</div>
<div class="form-field">
<div class="label-field">Enter the text you see on the image below</div>
<input name="captcha-word">
</div>
<img src="{{ captcha }}">
</div>
<button type="submit" class="btn btn-success">Create your account</button>
</form>
<br>
{% with messages = get_flashed_messages(with_categories=true) %}
{% if messages %}
{% for message in messages %}
<div class="alert alert-info">
{{ message[1] }}
</div>
{% endfor %}
{% endif %}
{% endwith %}
</div>
<br>
</div>
</div>
|
Example 3: Account creation on a wiki with a CAPTCHA, an OpenID extension, and a two-factor authentication extension enabled
First step: Fetch fields available from API:Authmanagerinfo and token from API:Tokens
The fetching of API:Authmanagerinfo and API:Tokens is largely the same as in the previous example, and so is not repeated here. The list of requests returned by API:Authmanagerinfo will include definitions for both the CAPTCHA extension and the OpenID extension.
Second step: Answer the CAPTCHA and select OpenID authentication.
api.php?
| Result |
|---|
{
"createaccount": {
"status": "REDIRECT",
"redirecttarget": "https://openid.example.net/openid-auth.php?scope=openid&response_type=code&client_id=ABC&redirect_uri=https://wiki.example.org/wiki/Special:OpenIDConnectReturn&state=XYZ123",
"requests": [
{
"id": "OpenIdConnectResponseAuthenticationRequest",
"metadata": {},
"required": "required",
"provider": "OpenID Connect at example.net",
"account": "",
"fields": {
"code": {
"type": "string",
"label": "OpenID Code",
"help": "OpenID Connect code response"
},
"state": {
"type": "string",
"label": "OpenID State",
"help": "OpenID Connect state response"
},
}
}
]
}
}
|
The client would be expected to redirect the user's browser to the provided redirecttarget.
The OpenID provider would authenticate, and redirect to Special:OpenIDConnectReturn on the wiki, which would validate the OpenID response and then redirect to the createreturnurl provided in the first POST to the API with the code and state parameters added.
The client gets control of the process back at this point and makes its next API request.
Third step: Back from OpenID.
The client posts the code and state back to the API. The API's response has the two-factor authentication extension prompting the user to set up their second factor.
api.php?
| Result |
|---|
{
"createaccount": {
"status": "UI",
"message": "Set up two-factor authentication",
"requests": [
{
"id": "TwoFactorAuthenticationRequest",
"metadata": {
"account": "Alice",
"secret": "6CO3 2AKV EP2X MIV5"
},
"required": "optional",
"provider": "",
"account": "",
"fields": {
"2FAInfo": {
"type": "null",
"label": "A bunch of text describing how to set up two-factor auth.",
"help": "Two-factor authentication setup instructions"
},
"code": {
"type": "string",
"label": "Code",
"help": "Two-factor authentication code"
}
}
},
{
"id": "MediaWiki\\Auth\\ButtonAuthenticationRequest:skip2FASetup",
"metadata": {},
"required": "optional",
"provider": "MediaWiki\\Auth\\ButtonAuthenticationRequest",
"account": "MediaWiki\\Auth\\ButtonAuthenticationRequest:skip2FASetup",
"fields": {
"skip2FASetup": {
"type": "button",
"label": "Skip",
"help": "Skip two-factor authentication setup"
}
}
}
]
}
}
|
Now the client would prompt the user to set up a new account in their two-factor authentication app and enter the current code, or allow the user to skip 2FA setup. Let's assume the user does set up 2FA.
Fourth step: Set up two-factor authentication.
api.php?
| Result |
|---|
{
"createaccount": {
"status": "PASS",
"username": "Alice"
}
}
|
The account creation has finally succeeded.
If at any point account creation fails, a response with status FAIL will be returned, along with a message to display to the user.
Possible errors
| Code | Info |
|---|---|
| badtoken | Invalid create account token |
| notoken | The token parameter must be set. |
| mustpostparams | The following parameter was found in the query string, but must be in the POST body: createtoken. |
| missingparam | At least one of the parameters "createcontinue" and "createreturnurl" is required. |
| authmanager-create-no-primary | The supplied credentials could not be used for account creation. |
| noemailcreate | You need to provide a valid email address. |
| invalidemailaddress | The email address cannot be accepted as it appears to have an invalid format.
Please enter a well-formatted address or empty that field. |
| badretype | The passwords you entered do not match. |
| userexists | Username entered already in use.
Please choose a different name. |
| captcha-createaccount-fail | Incorrect or missing CAPTCHA. |
| acct_creation_throttle_hit | Visitors to this wiki using your IP address have created num accounts in the last day, which is the maximum allowed in this time period.
As a result, visitors using this IP address cannot create any more accounts at the moment. If you are at an event where contributing to Wikimedia projects is the focus, please see Requesting temporary lift of IP cap to help resolve this issue. |
Additional notes
- Account creations are recorded in Special:log/newusers.
If you are logged in, your username will also be recorded when creating an account.
- While executing the code snippets provided on this page, remember:
- Once an account on a wiki is created, it cannot be deleted.
- Always use
https://test.wikipedia.org/w/api.phpas the endpoint, so that you don't accidentally create accounts on production wikis.
- MediaWiki site administrators and extension developers can disable this API feature by inserting the following line in the configuration file:
$wgAPIModules['createaccount'] = 'ApiDisabled';