Quickstart: Search for images using Bing Image Search REST API and Ruby
Use this quickstart to make your first call to Bing Image Search API and receive a JSON response. This simple Ruby application sends a search query to the API and displays the raw results.
Although this application is written in Ruby, the API is a RESTful Web service compatible with most programming languages.
The source code for this sample is available on GitHub.
Prerequisites
Create and initialize the application
Import the following packages into your code file:
require 'net/https' require 'uri' require 'json'Create variables for the API endpoint, image API search path, your subscription key, and search term.
uri = "https://api.bing.microsoft.com" path = "/v7.0/images/search" term = "puppies"
Format and make an API request
Use the variables from the previous step to format a search URL for the API request. Then, send the request.
uri = URI(uri + path + "?q=" + URI.escape(term))
request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
request['Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key'] = accessKey
response = Net::HTTP.start(uri.host, uri.port, :use_ssl => uri.scheme == 'https') do |http|
http.request(request)
end
Process and print the JSON
After the response is received, you can parse the JSON, and get values from it. For example, the thumbnail URL to the first result, and the total number of returned images.
response.each_header do |key, value|
# header names are lowercased
if key.start_with?("bingapis-") or key.start_with?("x-msedge-") then
puts key + ": " + value
end
end
parsed_json = JSON.parse(response.body)
total_returned_images = parsed_json["totalEstimatedMatches"]
first_result = parsed_json["value"][0]["thumbnailUrl"]
puts "total number of returned matches: #{total_returned_images}"
puts "Url to the thumbnail of the first returned search result: #{first_result}"
Example JSON response
Responses from the Bing Image Search API are returned as JSON. This sample response has been truncated to show a single result.
{
"_type":"Images",
"instrumentation":{
"_type":"ResponseInstrumentation"
},
"readLink":"images\/search?q=tropical ocean",
"webSearchUrl":"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/images\/search?q=tropical ocean&FORM=OIIARP",
"totalEstimatedMatches":842,
"nextOffset":47,
"value":[
{
"webSearchUrl":"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/images\/search?view=detailv2&FORM=OIIRPO&q=tropical+ocean&id=8607ACDACB243BDEA7E1EF78127DA931E680E3A5&simid=608027248313960152",
"name":"My Life in the Ocean | The greatest WordPress.com site in ...",
"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/tse3.mm.bing.net\/th?id=OIP.fmwSKKmKpmZtJiBDps1kLAHaEo&pid=Api",
"datePublished":"2017-11-03T08:51:00.0000000Z",
"contentUrl":"https:\/\/mylifeintheocean.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/11\/tropical-ocean-wallpaper-1920x12003.jpg",
"hostPageUrl":"https:\/\/mylifeintheocean.wordpress.com\/",
"contentSize":"897388 B",
"encodingFormat":"jpeg",
"hostPageDisplayUrl":"https:\/\/mylifeintheocean.wordpress.com",
"width":1920,
"height":1200,
"thumbnail":{
"width":474,
"height":296
},
"imageInsightsToken":"ccid_fmwSKKmK*mid_8607ACDACB243BDEA7E1EF78127DA931E680E3A5*simid_608027248313960152*thid_OIP.fmwSKKmKpmZtJiBDps1kLAHaEo",
"insightsMetadata":{
"recipeSourcesCount":0,
"bestRepresentativeQuery":{
"text":"Tropical Beaches Desktop Wallpaper",
"displayText":"Tropical Beaches Desktop Wallpaper",
"webSearchUrl":"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/images\/search?q=Tropical+Beaches+Desktop+Wallpaper&id=8607ACDACB243BDEA7E1EF78127DA931E680E3A5&FORM=IDBQDM"
},
"pagesIncludingCount":115,
"availableSizesCount":44
},
"imageId":"8607ACDACB243BDEA7E1EF78127DA931E680E3A5",
"accentColor":"0050B2"
}]
}