LinkedIn tightens grip on APIs, asks Devs to join program

LinkedIn might be able to find you work, but they're not happy with the job Developers have done with their APIs. Starting today, Developers who want to use any LinkedIn APIs will have to become part of LinkedIn's Developer Program, which has been 'refocussed' to provide a limited set of use cases and support. There will still be open APIs, but what Developers can do with them will change. It's an interesting move which some will take issue with, but also provides some careful image management for LinkedIn.

According to LinkedIn, here's what their open APIs will support:

Allowing members to represent their professional identity via their LinkedIn profile using our Profile API

Enabling members to post certifications directly to their LinkedIn profile with our Add to Profile tools

Enabling members to share professional content to their LinkedIn network from across the Web leveraging our Share API

Enabling companies to share professional content to LinkedIn with our Company API

LinkedIn's Director of their Developer Network, Adam Trachtenberg, says "Over the past several years, we've seen some exciting applications from our developer community. While many delivered value back to our members and LinkedIn, not all have."

The rest of LinkedIn's tools can be had via their partnership program, which they say is yielding positive results from the likes of Samsung and WeChat, as well as Evernote.

The positive is that this will clean up a lot of those API use cases LinkedIn isn't fond of (whatever they are), and polish their professional image a bit. The downside is that you're less likely to see any homegrown home runs from a solo Developer who had a great idea for how to use LinkedIn, but didn't want to sign up for LinkedIn's partnership program.

Source: LinkedIn