Finding your LinkedIn client ID is an important step if you want to integrate LinkedIn features into your website or application. The client ID allows LinkedIn to recognize your app and provide access to their API. Here is a quick overview of what the LinkedIn client ID is, why you need it, and how to find it.
What is the LinkedIn Client ID?
The LinkedIn client ID is a unique identifier that LinkedIn assigns to your app when you register it with their API. It lets LinkedIn know which app is making API calls and manage permissions for what data that app can access.
Some key things to know about the client ID:
- It is a string of characters, usually with a mix of letters and numbers.
- Each app you register will have a unique client ID.
- The client ID is public and does not need to be kept secret.
- You will need to pass the client ID with each API call your app makes.
So in summary, the client ID acts like a unique nametag for your application that proves its identity to LinkedIn.
Why Do You Need a LinkedIn Client ID?
Here are some of the main reasons you need a LinkedIn client ID for your application:
- Access the LinkedIn API: The client ID is required to make any calls to LinkedIn’s API endpoints. It authenticates your app and enables accessing profile data, sharing capabilities, and more.
- Link LinkedIn accounts: By using the LinkedIn JavaScript SDK with your client ID, you can implement “Login with LinkedIn” buttons to allow users to easily link their LinkedIn accounts to your app.
- Build LinkedIn integrations: Features like sharing content to LinkedIn, posting status updates, or retrieving LinkedIn data profiles require the client ID to work properly.
- Analytics and compliance: LinkedIn can use the client ID to provide analytics on API usage and ensure apps comply with their terms of service.
So in short, the client ID plays an essential role in interacting with LinkedIn developer products and authenticating your app.
How to Find Your LinkedIn Client ID
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to find your LinkedIn client ID:
- Go to LinkedIn Developers and log in with your LinkedIn account.
- Click on “My Apps” at the top menu bar.
- This will display any existing apps you’ve created. To create a new app, click the “Create Application” button.
- Fill in the form providing your application name, description, logo, and any other requested details.
- Agree to the LinkedIn API Terms of Use and click “Submit“.
- On the next screen, copy the “Client ID” value. This is your unique client ID for this app.
- Optionally edit the “Authorized Redirect URLs” if you will implement LinkedIn Login for your app.
- That’s it! You can now use this Client ID for making API calls.
Once you have the client ID, be sure to store it securely with your app for easy retrieval. You’ll need to pass it with each API request.
Here is a summary of where to find it in the LinkedIn Developers portal:
- Log in at LinkedIn Developers
- Go to “My Apps”
- Create or select your app
- Copy the “Client ID” on the app’s details page
It only takes a minute to find once you’ve created an app!
How to Use Your Client ID
Now that you have your app’s client ID, here are a couple ways you can use it:
Pass it with API calls
Most LinkedIn API endpoints require passing the client ID as a parameter in your requests. For example:
“`
GET https://api.linkedin.com/v2/people/~?client_id=123456
“`
Consult the LinkedIn API documentation for each method to see exactly how to include it.
Initialize the LinkedIn JS SDK
To use LinkedIn features in your frontend JavaScript code, initialize the LinkedIn JS SDK with your client ID:
“`html
“`
This will enable LinkedIn login, share buttons, and more.
Make authorized API calls
Some API endpoints require [OAuth 2.0 authorization](https://learn.microsoft.com/linkedin/shared/authentication/oauth2?context=linkedin/context) to access user data. In these cases, you will need to pass the client ID when redirecting users to LinkedIn to log in and authorize your app.
Troubleshooting Client ID Issues
Here are some common issues you may encounter with the LinkedIn client ID and how to fix them:
404 API Errors
If you get 404 errors calling the API, double check that you are correctly passing the client ID with your requests. This is the most common cause of 404s.
Invalid client ID
If LinkedIn returns an “invalid client ID” error, verify you are using the correct ID for that app. You can check the client ID within the LinkedIn developer portal to confirm.
API call limits
The client ID is used to enforce your app’s API call limits. If you hit the limit, you may get errors requiring an approved higher limit. This can be requested in the developer portal.
CORS/JavaScript issues
For JavaScript requests to LinkedIn APIs, ensure CORS headers are properly set on your server to allow the client ID to be passed.
Following LinkedIn’s best practices for passing the client ID can help avoid many of these problems!
Conclusion
To recap, here are the key points on finding your LinkedIn client ID:
- The client ID uniquely identifies your app to LinkedIn.
- It’s required to make API calls and initialize LinkedIn SDKs.
- Generate a client ID by registering an app in the LinkedIn developer portal.
- Find the ID under the “My Apps” section for each app.
- Pass the client ID with API requests and SDK initialization.
- Check for common issues like 404 errors or invalid IDs if you have trouble.
With this guide, you should be able to easily obtain your LinkedIn client ID and use it to start building powerful LinkedIn integrations! Let me know if you have any other questions.