<< Back to Twitter API Documentation

 

Twitter REST API Method: statuses/retweet

Retweets a tweet. Requires the id parameter of the tweet you are retweeting. Request must be a POST or PUT. Returns the original tweet with retweet details embedded.

URL:

http://api.twitter.com/1/statuses/retweet/id.format

 

Formats: 

xml, json 

 

HTTP Method(s):

POST, PUT

 

Requires Authentication (about authentication):

true

 

API rate limited (about rate limiting):

false

 

Parameters:

• id.  Required.  The numerical ID of the tweet you are retweeting.
  • Example: http://api.twitter.com/1/statuses/retweet/123.xml

 

Usage Notes:

• This method is subject to update limits. A HTTP 403 will be returned if this limit as been hit.

• Twitter will ignore attempts to perform duplicate retweets.
• The retweet_count will be current as of when the payload is generated and may not reflect the exact count. It is intended as an approximation. [COMING SOON]
• Twitter will ignore attempts to retweet your own tweets.

 

Response (about return values): 

          XML example: 

<status>

  <created_at>Fri Nov 06 01:24:24 +0000 2009</created_at>

  <id>5466271842</id>

  <text>RT @Brockstar: Hooray, we started rolling the retweet feature out to people!</text>

  <source>web</source>

  <truncated>false</truncated>

  <in_reply_to_status_id></in_reply_to_status_id>

  <in_reply_to_user_id></in_reply_to_user_id>

  <favorited>false</favorited>

  <in_reply_to_screen_name></in_reply_to_screen_name>

  <retweeted_status>

    <created_at>Fri Nov 06 01:22:17 +0000 2009</created_at>

    <id>5466220198</id>

    <text>Hooray, we started rolling the retweet feature out to people!</text>

    <source>web</source>

    <truncated>false</truncated>

    <in_reply_to_status_id></in_reply_to_status_id>

    <in_reply_to_user_id></in_reply_to_user_id>

    <favorited>false</favorited>

    <in_reply_to_screen_name></in_reply_to_screen_name>

    <user>

      <id>2404341</id>

      <name>Zach Brock</name>

      <screen_name>Brockstar</screen_name>

      <location>San Francisco, CA</location>

      <description>I'm mostly made of water.</description>

      <profile_image_url>http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/44776412/mecropped_normal.jpg</profile_image_url>

      <url>http://www.imthecuteone.com</url>

      <protected>false</protected>

      <followers_count>319</followers_count>

      <profile_background_color>352726</profile_background_color>

      <profile_text_color>3E4415</profile_text_color>

      <profile_link_color>D02B55</profile_link_color>

      <profile_sidebar_fill_color>99CC33</profile_sidebar_fill_color>

      <profile_sidebar_border_color>829D5E</profile_sidebar_border_color>

      <friends_count>108</friends_count>

      <created_at>Tue Mar 27 04:43:51 +0000 2007</created_at>

      <favourites_count>19</favourites_count>

      <utc_offset>-28800</utc_offset>

      <time_zone>Pacific Time (US & Canada)</time_zone>

      <profile_background_image_url>http://s.twimg.com/a/1257443454/images/themes/theme5/bg.gif</profile_background_image_url>

      <profile_background_tile>false</profile_background_tile>

      <statuses_count>1052</statuses_count>

      <notifications>false</notifications>

      <geo_enabled>false</geo_enabled>

      <verified>false</verified>

      <following>false</following>

    </user>

    <geo/>

  </retweeted_status>

  <user>

    <id>1199081</id>

    <name>Dustin Diaz</name>

    <screen_name>ded</screen_name>

    <location>San Francisco, CA</location>

    <description>Twitter Engineer, Photographer</description>

    <profile_image_url>http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/56561346/dustin-was-here_normal.gif</profile_image_url>

    <url>http://photography.dustindiaz.com</url>

    <protected>false</protected>

    <followers_count>7039</followers_count>

    <profile_background_color>000000</profile_background_color>

    <profile_text_color>9e9e9e</profile_text_color>

    <profile_link_color>92aef6</profile_link_color>

    <profile_sidebar_fill_color>415771</profile_sidebar_fill_color>

    <profile_sidebar_border_color>ffffff</profile_sidebar_border_color>

    <friends_count>127</friends_count>

    <created_at>Thu Mar 15 02:52:58 +0000 2007</created_at>

    <favourites_count>1002</favourites_count>

    <utc_offset>-28800</utc_offset>

    <time_zone>Pacific Time (US & Canada)</time_zone>

    <profile_background_image_url>http://a3.twimg.com/profile_background_images/15460187/3369212741_7804dd46e5_o.jpg</profile_background_image_url>

    <profile_background_tile>false</profile_background_tile>

    <statuses_count>2734</statuses_count>

    <notifications>false</notifications>

    <geo_enabled>true</geo_enabled>

    <verified>false</verified>

    <following>true</following>

  </user>

  <geo/>

</status>

Usage examples: 

cURL (about cURL):

curl -u user:password -X POST http://api.twitter.com/1/statuses/retweet/5466220198.xml

 

          Do you have an example to share in the language of your choice? Please share!