API:Undelete

This page is part of the MediaWiki Action API documentation.

MediaWiki version:

≥ 1.12

POST request to undelete (restore) the revisions of a deleted page.

API documentation

The following documentation is the output of Special:ApiHelp/undelete, automatically generated by the pre-release version of MediaWiki that is running on this site (MediaWiki.org).

action=undelete

(main | undelete)

This module requires read rights.
This module requires write rights.
This module only accepts POST requests.
Source: MediaWiki
License: GPL-2.0-or-later

Undelete revisions of a deleted page.

A list of deleted revisions (including timestamps) can be retrieved through prop=deletedrevisions, and a list of deleted file IDs can be retrieved through list=filearchive.

https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/API:Undelete

Specific parameters:

Other general parameters are available.

title: Title of the page to undelete.; This parameter is required.
reason: Reason for restoring.; Default: (empty)
tags: Change tags to apply to the entry in the deletion log.; Values (separate with | or alternative): AWB, convenient-discussions
timestamps: Timestamps of the revisions to undelete. If both timestamps and fileids are empty, all will be undeleted.; Type: list of timestamps (allowed formats); Separate values with | or alternative.; Maximum number of values is 50 (500 for clients that are allowed higher limits).
fileids: IDs of the file revisions to restore. If both timestamps and fileids are empty, all will be restored.; Type: list of integers; Separate values with | or alternative.; Maximum number of values is 50 (500 for clients that are allowed higher limits).
undeletetalk: Undelete all revisions of the associated talk page, if any.; Type: boolean (details)
watchlist: Unconditionally add or remove the page from the current user's watchlist, use preferences (ignored for bot users) or do not change watch.; One of the following values: nochange, preferences, unwatch, watch; Default: preferences
watchlistexpiry: Watchlist expiry timestamp. Omit this parameter entirely to leave the current expiry unchanged.; Type: expiry (details)
token: A "csrf" token retrieved from action=query&meta=tokens; This parameter is required.

Examples:

Undelete page MediaWiki.: api.php?action=undelete&title=MediaWiki&token=123ABC&reason=Restoring%20MediaWiki [open in sandbox]
Undelete two revisions of page MediaWiki.: api.php?action=undelete&title=MediaWiki&token=123ABC&timestamps=2007-07-03T22:00:45Z|2007-07-02T19:48:56Z [open in sandbox]

Example

Undeleting the revisions of a page is a multi-step process:

Log in using one of the methods described in API:Login .
Get a CSRF token . This token is the same for all pages but changes at every login.
api.php?action=query&format=json&meta=tokens [try in ApiSandbox]
Send a POST request with the CSRF token in order to undelete.

The sample code below covers the third step in detail.

POST request

Restore two revisions of Sandbox/Test.

api.php?action=undelete&format=json&title=Sandbox/Test&reason=Test%20undeleting%20via%20the%20API&timestamps=20190605072148&token=123ABC [try in ApiSandbox]

Response

{
  "undelete": {
    "fileversions": 0,
    "reason": "Test undeleting via the API",
    "revisions": 2,
    "title": "Sandbox/Test"
  }
}

Sample code

Python

#!/usr/bin/python3

"""
    undelete.py

    MediaWiki API Demos
    Demo of `Undelete` module: Restore two revisions of a deleted page

    MIT License
"""

import requests

S = requests.Session()

URL = "https://test.wikipedia.org/w/api.php"

# Step 1: Retrieve a login token
PARAMS_1 = {
    "action": "query",
    "meta": "tokens",
    "type": "login",
    "format": "json"
}

R = S.get(url=URL, params=PARAMS_1)
DATA = R.json()

LOGIN_TOKEN = DATA['query']['tokens']['logintoken']

# Step 2: Send a post request to login.
# Obtain credentials for lgname & lgpassword via Special:BotPasswords
# (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:BotPasswords)
PARAMS_2 = {
    "action": "login",
    "lgname": "username",
    "lgpassword": "password",
    "lgtoken": LOGIN_TOKEN,
    "format": "json"
}

R = S.post(URL, data=PARAMS_2)

# Step 3: While logged in, get an CSRF token
PARAMS_3 = {
    "action": "query",
    "meta": "tokens",
    "format": "json"
}

R = S.get(url=URL, params=PARAMS_3)
DATA = R.json()

CSRF_TOKEN = DATA["query"]["tokens"]["csrftoken"]

# Step 4: Send a post request to restore two revisions of a deleted page
PARAMS_4 = {
    "action": "undelete",
    "format": "json",
    "token": CSRF_TOKEN,
    "title": "Sandbox/Test",
    "timestamps":"20190605072148|20190605074313",
    "reason": "Test undeleting via the API"
}

R = S.post(URL, data=PARAMS_4)
DATA = R.json()

print(DATA)

PHP

<?php

/*
    undelete.php

    MediaWiki API Demos
    Demo of `Undelete` module: Restore two revisions of a deleted page
    MIT license
*/

$endPoint = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080/w/api.php";

$login_Token = getLoginToken(); // Step 1
loginRequest( $login_Token ); // Step 2
$csrf_Token = getCSRFToken(); // Step 3
undelete( $csrf_Token ); // Step 4

// Step 1: GET request to fetch login token
function getLoginToken() {
	global $endPoint;

	$params1 = [
		"action" => "query",
		"meta" => "tokens",
		"type" => "login",
		"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"]["logintoken"];
}

// Step 2: POST request to log in. Use of main account for login is not
// supported. Obtain credentials via Special:BotPasswords
// (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:BotPasswords) for lgname & lgpassword
function loginRequest( $logintoken ) {
	global $endPoint;

	$params2 = [
		"action" => "login",
		"lgname" => "bot_user_name",
		"lgpassword" => "bot_password",
		"lgtoken" => $logintoken,
		"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 );

}

// Step 3: GET request to fetch CSRF token
function getCSRFToken() {
	global $endPoint;

	$params3 = [
		"action" => "query",
		"meta" => "tokens",
		"format" => "json"
	];

	$url = $endPoint . "?" . http_build_query( $params3 );

	$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"]["csrftoken"];
}

// Step 4: POST request to restore the deleted page
function undelete( $csrftoken ) {
	global $endPoint;

	$params4 = [
		"action" => "undelete",
		"title" => "Sandbox",
		"reason" => "Test undeleting via the API",
		"token" => $csrftoken,
		"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( $params4 ) );
	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

/*  
    undelete.js
 
    MediaWiki API Demos
    Demo of `Undelete` module: Restore two revisions of a deleted page

    MIT license
*/

var request = require('request').defaults({jar: true}),
    url = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080/w/api.php";

// Step 1: GET request to fetch login token
function getLoginToken() {
    var params_0 = {
        action: "query",
        meta: "tokens",
        type: "login",
        format: "json"
    };

    request.get({ url: url, qs: params_0 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        var data = JSON.parse(body);
        loginRequest(data.query.tokens.logintoken);
    });
}

// Step 2: POST request to log in. 
// Use of main account for login is not
// supported. Obtain credentials via Special:BotPasswords
// (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:BotPasswords) for lgname & lgpassword
function loginRequest(login_token) {
    var params_1 = {
        action: "login",
        lgname: "bot_username",
        lgpassword: "bot_password",
        lgtoken: login_token,
        format: "json"
    };

    request.post({ url: url, form: params_1 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        getCsrfToken();
    });
}

// Step 3: GET request to fetch CSRF token
function getCsrfToken() {
    var params_2 = {
        action: "query",
        meta: "tokens",
        format: "json"
    };

    request.get({ url: url, qs: params_2 }, function(error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        var data = JSON.parse(body);
        editRequest(data.query.tokens.csrftoken);
    });
}

// Step 4: POST request to restore the deleted page
function editRequest(csrf_token) {
    var params_3 = {
        action: "undelete",
        title: "Sandbox",
        reason: "Test undeleting via the API",
        token: csrf_token,
        format: "json"
    };

    request.post({ url: url, form: params_3 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        console.log(body);
    });
}

// Start From Step 1
getLoginToken();

MediaWiki JS

/*
	undelete.js

	MediaWiki API Demos
	Demo of `Undelete` module: Restore two revisions of a deleted page

	MIT License
*/

var params = {
		action: 'undelete',
		title: 'Sandbox',
		reason: 'Test undeleting via the API',
		format: 'json'
	},
	api = new mw.Api();

api.postWithToken( 'csrf', params ).done( function ( data ) {
	console.log( data );
} );

Possible errors

In addition to the standard error messages :

Code	Info
notitle	The `title` parameter must be set.
notoken	The `token` parameter must be set.
permissiondenied	You don't have permission to undelete pages. On most wikis, restoring deleted revisions is restricted to sysops, but other wikis may have stricter rules.
cantundelete	Couldn't undelete: the requested revisions may not exist, or may have been undeleted already.

Parameter history

v1.39: Introduced undeletetalk
v1.25: Introduced tags
v1.24: Introduced fileids
v1.16: Introduced watchlist

Additional notes

This module cannot be used as a generator .
This module requires undelete rights.
For MediaWiki 1.19 and earlier, you can obtain an undelete token through API:Deletedrevs .
For MediaWiki 1.20-1.23, you can obtain tokens through API:Tokens (action) .
Timestamps of deleted revisions can be obtained through API:Deletedrevs , API:Alldeletedrevisions or API:Deletedrevisions .
Pages that have been deleted or restored are logged at Special:Log/delete.