Twitch API and EventSub Summer Recap for 2021

It has been a productive year for the Twitch API and EventSub.  A number of highly-requested endpoints, features, and real-time events have been added to these products for developers to build anything from immersive game integrations to creative audience engagement tools.  We wanted to take a few minutes to recap the functionality that has been added in the first half of 2021 just to make sure developers are aware of all the latest updates!  As a reminder, you can subscribe to notifications for all the latest Twitch Developer news via the announcements category on the forums. 

Channel Stream Schedule API

Let’s begin with the most recent release – the Channel Stream Schedule API. Since the announcement of the channel stream schedule, developers have been inquiring about the possibility of API endpoints to interface with this new feature so it could be built into existing third-party creator workflows.  With over 150 votes on UserVoice and with an obvious benefit for creators and viewers alike to further adopt the product, the suggestion was turned into a reality.

Go to the documentation:

• Get Channel Stream Schedule
• Get Channel iCalendar
• Update Channel Stream Schedule
• Create Channel Stream Schedule Segment
• Update Channel Stream Schedule Segment
• Delete Channel Stream Schedule Segment

Twitch Emotes API

Previously only available in v5 of the Twitch API, endpoints to retrieve Twitch Emotes have also been a highly-requested addition. The latest version of the API now supports methods to retrieve emotes for a specific channel, global emotes, and specific emote sets.  The channel emotes include all custom images for subscribers, Bits tiers, and followers.  These endpoints will be quite helpful for completely migrating to the latest version of the API.

Go to the documentation:

• Get Channel Emotes
• Get Global Emotes
• Get Emote Sets

Chat Badges API

Similar to Twitch Emotes, chat badges were another chat-related feature developers wanted to see as Helix endpoints. These images are the decorators that a Twitch viewer can select to be next to their username in chat to customize how they appear to other viewers.  These endpoints can be used to retrieve the custom chat badges for a channel or those that are globally available across Twitch.

Go to the documentation:

• Get Channel Chat Badges
• Get Global Chat Badges

Polls and Channel Points Predictions API

The UserVoice suggestions for Polls and Predictions APIs had almost 400 votes from developers combined.  These are two of the most popular community engagement tools for Twitch Partners and Affiliates.  Polls are a fun, lightweight interaction that everyone on a channel can participate in to quickly identify viewer sentiment and make choices that impact stream content. Predictions allow viewers to use their Channel Points to back one of two forecasted options, with the chance to win points from the pool if their guess is correct.  By providing a programmatic way to manage Polls and Predictions, developers can leverage their innovation and creativity to provide a wide range of unique interactive experiences for the Twitch community.

Go to the documentation:

• Get Polls
• Create Poll
• End Poll
• Get Predictions
• Create Prediction
• End Prediction

Teams API

Twitch Teams is a great way to unite creators and provides a discovery mechanism for viewers to find content with a similar theme. We’re glad to continue this functionality from v5 of the Twitch API.

Go to the documentation:

• Get Channel Teams
• Get Teams

Moderation-related APIs

A number of API endpoints have been added this year for developers building tools for channel moderation. The Twitch API now supports the ability to manage a user’s block list as well as manage AutoMod messages that have been held for review.

Go to the documentation:

• Manage Held AutoMod Messages
• Get User Block List
• Block User
• Unblock User

Miscellaneous APIs

In addition to all of the endpoints already mentioned, there were a number of other highly-requested endpoints that are now part of the latest version of the Twitch API. This functionality includes checking a user’s subscription status for a channel, retrieving live stream information for the channels a user follows, retrieving channel editor information, and deleting videos.

Go to the documentation:

• Check User Subscription
• Get Followed Streams
• Get Channel Editors
• Delete Videos

Payload Additions

API endpoints weren’t the only addition to the Twitch API. There were also updates to existing API payloads to include important details for third-party integrations. Below is a list of endpoints that received additional fields requested by the community.

• Get Broadcaster Subscriptions – total subscription count added to the response
• Get Channel Information – delay added to the response and to the optional fields for modifying a channel
• Get Streams – is_mature flagadded to the response
• Get Clips – duration in seconds added to the response
• Search Channels – game_name added to the response
• Get Videos – stream_id added to the response
• Get Videos – muted_segments added to the response; an array of objects with duration and offset
• broadcaster_login and/or user_login were added to more than 15 existing API endpoints that already returned user ID and display name.

EventSub Rate Limit Strategy and Subscription Types

If you’re interested in receiving real-time notification for Twitch events, EventSub is the product to supplement your use of the Twitch API. This year, the team was able to use feedback from a request for comments to implement a new rate limiting strategy based on authorizations. This new system allows your application to grow with your users’ growth as they authorize your application; a great improvement over the previous static rate limit applied to all applications

And of course, new EventSub subscription types were added over the last six months to supplement all of the new Twitch API endpoints already mentioned and more.

Go to the documentation:

• Channel Moderator Add
• Channel Moderator Remove
• Channel Poll Begin
• Channel Poll Progress
• Channel Poll End
• Channel Prediction Begin
• Channel Prediction Progress
• Channel Prediction Lock
• Channel Prediction End
• Channel Raid
• Channel Subscription End
• Channel Subscription Gift
• Channel Subscription Message
• Extension Bits Transaction Create

Thanks for your feedback

Much of these updates were the direct result of developer feedback provided in our quarterly surveys. We greatly appreciate your time and input, which provides us with a holistic view of the community and greater insight as to how our efforts should be prioritized. With that in mind, our next quarterly survey is open now that we have reached the halfway point for 2021! Let us know how we’re doing and how we can improve the developer experience at your convenience. Thanks again – we look forward to bringing you even more features in the second half of the year.

As a reminder, you can subscribe to notifications for all the latest Twitch Developer news via the announcements category on the forums.