Build on the public
file catalog.

Enable two switches, then test as a guest

1. Install File-Updates-API-1.1.1.tar in AdminCP → System → Applications. Upgrade an existing installation with Upload New Version; do not uninstall, so cursors and integrations are preserved.
2. In Community → File Updates API → Settings, enable both Enable the File Updates API and Enable public access without API keys, then save.
3. Configure IPB’s cron task runner for reliable scanning and cleanup. Ensure Guests can access this application’s front module and the relevant Downloads categories.
4. Test https://weoxide.net/db/?category=all signed out. Expect JSON. If friendly routing fails, use the fallback routes below and rebuild IPB caches through AdminCP → Support.

Three GET endpoints

limit is an integer from 1–100, default 25. after_id defaults to 0 and must be nonnegative. Cursor IDs are integers, not timestamps. Public browser GETs support cross-origin access without cookies; OPTIONS is supported for preflight, not as a data endpoint.

https://weoxide.net/index.php?app=fileupdates&module=catalog&controller=browse&category=all&after_id=0&limit=25
https://weoxide.net/index.php?app=fileupdates&module=catalog&controller=browse&id=522
https://weoxide.net/index.php?app=fileupdates&module=catalog&controller=browse&resource=events&after=123&limit=25

JSON shapes and every exported field

There is no schema compatibility promise with Codefling. File versions are creator-provided strings, not guaranteed semantic versions. Timestamps are integer Unix seconds.

{
  "id": 522,
  "title": "Example Rust Plugin",
  "version": "release-2026b",
  "published_at": 1780000000,
  "updated_at": 1780003600,
  "creator": { "id": 42, "name": "Example Creator" },
  "category_id": 1,
  "url": "https://weoxide.net/files/file/522-example-rust-plugin/",
  "description": "Illustrative plain-text description.",
  "change_notes": "Illustrative fixes and improvements.",
  "is_paid": false,
  "price_label": "Free"
}

{ "data": [], "next_after_id": 525, "has_more": true }

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 124, "type": "published", "observed_at": 1780000005,
      "file_id": 522, "version": "release-2026a", "updated_at": 1780000000,
      "change_notes": "", "url": "https://weoxide.net/files/file/522-example-rust-plugin/"
    },
    {
      "id": 125, "type": "updated", "observed_at": 1780003605,
      "file_id": 522, "version": "release-2026b", "updated_at": 1780003600,
      "change_notes": "Illustrative fixes and improvements.",
      "url": "https://weoxide.net/files/file/522-example-rust-plugin/"
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": 125,
  "has_more": false
}

Observed notes, version and update timestamp are snapshots, not rewritten by later releases. An event is not a complete current file object.

Advance through scanned rows, even empty pages

limit counts database rows scanned, not public results returned. Catalog scans files; feed scans events. Hidden, private, deleted or newly restricted event files are skipped at request time. A page may contain fewer results than the limit—or none—and still have has_more: true.

Always use the returned next_after_id for catalog pages or next_cursor for event pages, including empty pages. has_more means more rows remain to scan, not that another visible result is guaranteed. Keep category selection consistent while paging. Catalog pagination is an ID walk, not a snapshot or a change feed; edits to previously scanned IDs require the feed or a fresh catalog walk.

Checkpoint, bootstrap, then poll

1. Call /db/events/ without after and persist next_cursor.
2. If needed, bootstrap /db/, walking next_after_id while has_more is true.
3. Poll /db/events/?after=<saved cursor> every 60–300 seconds. Drain pages while has_more is true, respecting the shared rate budget.
4. Deduplicate by event id. Handle a page successfully before persisting its next_cursor, including empty pages. Fetch /db/files/<id>/ for current product metadata.
5. Respect throttling, back off on temporary server errors and check AdminCP switches for persistent disabled responses.

The application sends no outbound webhooks. Your integration decides what notification or update prompt to show.

Use metadata, not download automation

curl --header 'Accept: application/json' 'https://weoxide.net/db/files/522/'
curl --header 'Accept: application/json' 'https://weoxide.net/db/events/'
curl --header 'Accept: application/json' 'https://weoxide.net/db/events/?after=123&limit=25'

async function showVersion() {
  const response = await fetch('https://weoxide.net/db/files/522/', {
    method: 'GET',
    credentials: 'omit',
    headers: { Accept: 'application/json' }
  });
  if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`API HTTP ${response.status}`);
  const file = await response.json();
  document.getElementById('version-status').textContent =
    `${file.title}: ${file.version}`; // Never use innerHTML for API strings.
}
showVersion().catch(error => {
  document.getElementById('version-status').textContent = error.message;
});

void HandleVersionResponse(int status, string body, string installedVersion)
{
    if (status == 429) {
        // Schedule a retry using Retry-After if the host exposes headers;
        // otherwise wait at least 60 seconds plus jitter.
        return;
    }
    if (status != 200) return; // Back off; log safely in the host integration.
    try {
        var file = Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject.Parse(body);
        var remote = file.Value<string>("version");
        if (remote == null) return;
        if (!System.String.Equals(remote, installedVersion,
                                  System.StringComparison.Ordinal)) {
            // Notify: catalog version differs. Do not claim it is newer,
            // and do not automatically download or install anything.
        }
    } catch (Newtonsoft.Json.JsonException) {
        // Invalid response: retain local state and retry later with backoff.
    }
}
// GET https://weoxide.net/db/files/522/ with Accept: application/json.
// No API key or cookies. Pass status/body to the callback above.

60 requests per IP, per clock minute

Catalog, file and feed requests share 60 requests per IP address per clock minute, not a rolling 60-second window. Clients behind a NAT or proxy share the budget. HTTP 429 includes Retry-After seconds until the next minute. Pace pagination as well as polling.

Configure IPB’s real-client-IP handling correctly behind proxies; do not trust arbitrary forwarded-IP headers. This application throttle is not DDoS protection: keep hosting/CDN protection. The scheduled task cleans expired counters even when API access is off.

Guest visibility on every request

Even signed-in callers receive only non-hidden files that Guests can view. Raw download URLs, customer data, support requests, private/hidden files and payment data are never exported. There are no write, purchase or commission operations. Native download permissions are separate from this metadata API.

Metadata is cached server-side for up to 60 seconds, refreshed immediately when title, version or update timestamp changes. Guest visibility is rechecked on every request, including cache hits. Price is calculated through Downloads’ native currency-aware price() on each request, never reused from another visitor’s cache. Responses use Cache-Control: no-store so browser/CDN caching does not bypass visibility checks.

Descriptions and notes are stripped of markup and decoded as plain text. All strings remain untrusted: render them with textContent or your UI’s escaping, never as HTML. If making marketplace links clickable, validate the URL and permitted scheme in your own application. Do not interpret price labels as billing values.

Native authenticated routes are optional

The original routes /api/fileupdates/files, /api/fileupdates/files/{id} and /api/fileupdates/events remain available with IPB API keys and their respective GET permissions. Use HTTP Basic authentication with the key as username and a blank password; keep keys in trusted server-side integrations, not browser code.

Disabling the public-access switch does not disable native routes. Disabling the master API switch disables both. Grant only this application’s GET permissions; native Downloads API/download permissions are separate and unnecessary for metadata-only integrations.