DataCite REST API Legacy Endpoints Deprecation
What's changing
The legacy REST API endpoints /works, /members, and /data-centers will be deprecated July 2026.
The current version of the DataCite REST API, Version 2, was introduced in 2017. The Version 2 functionality is documented on our Support site and includes endpoints like /dois, /providers, and /clients.
The previous version of the REST API, Version 1, includes legacy endpoints like /works, /members, and /data-centers. These endpoints are documented here: DataCite REST API (v1). Version 1 has not been updated or supported for several years and can not be used to create or manage DOI metadata.
Due to the low usage of Version 1 and the improved functionality of the widely-adopted Version 2 successor, Version 1 endpoints will be deprecated on 1 July 2026. This deprecation will only affect a small number of users.
How to transition from legacy endpoints
If you’re currently using any endpoints from Version 1 (/works,/members, or /data-centers), update your requests to use the equivalent Version 2 endpoints:
/works→/dois/members→/providers/data-centers→/clients
Transition from /works to /dois
/works to /doisThe /dois endpoint contains similar functionality to the /works endpoint.
| Version 1 request | Version 2 request |
|---|---|
https://api.datacite.org/works | https://api.datacite.org/dois |
https://api.datacite.org/works/{id} | https://api.datacite.org/dois/{id} |
The response structure has several differences, including:
| Response section | Version 1 response (/works) | Version 2 response (/dois) |
|---|---|---|
| data.type | "works" | "dois" |
| data.attributes | Contains an incomplete DataCite DOI metadata record, with modified field names (e.g. "author" instead of "creators"). | Contains the complete DataCite DOI metadata record in JSON, structured according to the DataCite XML to JSON Mapping. |
| data.relationships | Contains "data-center", "member", and "resource-type" relationships. | Contains "client" relationships by default. To include "provider" relationships, add the parameter |
| meta | Contains facets for "resource-types", "registered", "providers", "data-centers", and "affiliations". Contains "total", "total-pages", and "page" information. | Contains the facets documented here: Retrieving a list of DOIs - What's in the API response? Contains "total", "totalPages", and "page" information. |
| links | Does not contain links. | Contains links to "self" (current results page) and "next" (next results page). |
Transition from /members to /providers
/members to /providersThe /providers endpoint contains similar functionality to the /members endpoint.
| Version 1 request | Version 2 request |
|---|---|
https://api.datacite.org/members | https://api.datacite.org/providers |
https://api.datacite.org/members/{id} | https://api.datacite.org/providers/{id} |
The response structure has several differences, including:
| Response section | Version 1 response (/members) | Version 2 response (/providers) |
|---|---|---|
| data.type | "members" | "providers" |
| data.attributes | Contains partial metadata for DataCite Members and Consortium Organizations, including: - title | Contains complete metadata for DataCite Members and Consortium Organizations, including: - name |
| data.relationships | Does not contain relationships. | Contains "clients" and "prefixes" relationships. |
| meta | Contains facets for "years", "regions", "organization-types", and "focus-areas". Contains "total", "total-pages", and "page" information. | Contains facets for "years", "regions", "memberTypes", "organizationTypes", "focusAreas", "nonProfitStatuses", and "hasRequiredContacts". Contains "total", "totalPages", and "page" information. |
| links | Does not contain links. | Contains links to "self" (current results page) and "next" (next results page). |
Transition from /data-centers to /clients
/data-centers to /clientsThe /clients endpoint contains similar functionality to the /data-centers endpoint.
| Version 1 request | Version 2 request |
|---|---|
https://api.datacite.org/data-centers | https://api.datacite.org/clients |
https://api.datacite.org/data-centers/{id} | https://api.datacite.org/clients/{id} |
The response structure has several differences, including:
| Response section | Version 1 response (/data-centers) | Version 2 response (/clients) |
|---|---|---|
| data.type | "data-centers" | "clients" |
| data.attributes | Contains partial metadata for DataCite Repositories, including: - title | Contains complete metadata for DataCite Repositories, including: - name |
| data.relationships | Contains "member" relationships. | Contains "provider", "consortium", and "prefixes" relationships. |
| meta | Contains facets for "years" and "members". Contains "total", "total-pages", and "page" information. | Contains facets for "years", "providers", "software", "certificates", "repository_types", and "clientTypes". Contains "total", "total-pages", and "page" information. |
| links | Does not contain links. | Contains links to "self" (current results page) and "next" (next results page). |
Updated 3 days ago