node-linkedin

Another Linkedin wrapper in Node.js

Why?

Good question! Because when I started to use LinkedIn API, I found couple of wrappers but they were not compatible with OAuth2.0, there contributors didn't made any recent commit from several months and I had to utilize the whole wrapper with nice helper functions as well.

So, I decided to write another wrapper. We need it! So we can also maintain it! However, pull request are always major and we'd love to see that!

Getting Started

Just like others, its simple and quick as per standard:

this will install the module and add the entry in package.json. Lets start using it!

var Linkedin = require('node-linkedin')('api', 'secret', 'callback');

Before invoking any endpoint, please get the instance ready with your access token.

var linkedin = Linkedin.init('my_access_token');
// Now, you're ready to use any endpoint

Additionally, you can specify options. Currently, the only supported option is timeout, allowing you to specific a timeout (in ms) for the HTTP request. The default is 60 seconds (a value of 60000).

var linkedin = Linkedin.init('my_access_token', {
    timeout: 10000 /* 10 seconds */
});

OAuth 2.0

We regret to use 1.0 for authentication and linkedin also supports 2.0. So lets start using it. The below example is inspired from express.js but good enough to give the walkthrough.

app.get('/oauth/linkedin', function(req, res) {
    // This will ask for permisssions etc and redirect to callback url.
    Linkedin.auth.authorize(res, ['r_basicprofile', 'r_fullprofile', 'r_emailaddress', 'r_network', 'r_contactinfo', 'rw_nus', 'rw_groups', 'w_messages']);
});

app.get('/oauth/linkedin/callback', function(req, res) {
    Linkedin.auth.getAccessToken(res, req.query.code, function(err, results) {
        if ( err )
            return console.error(err);
        
        /**
         * Results have something like:
         * {"expires_in":5184000,"access_token":". . . ."}
         */

        console.log(results);
        return res.redirect('/');
    });
});

However if you do not use express or any library which has redirect method available on res argument then you could make it optional and the function would return url to be executed instead and then you could use that to handle HTTP redirect from your own.

Companies

Supports all the calls as per the documentation available at: LinkedIn Companies API.

linkedin.companies.company('162479', function(err, company) {
    // Here you go
});

linkedin.companies.name('logica', function(err, company) {
    // Here you go
});

linkedin.companies.email_domain('apple.com', function(err, company) {
    // Here you go
});

linkedin.companies.multiple('162479,universal-name=linkedin', function(err, companies) {
    // Here you go
});

linkedin.companies.asAdmin(function(err, companies) {
    // Here you go
});

Profile

Searches for the profiles as per the criteria.

Logged In User Profile.

linkedin.people.me(function(err, $in) {
    // Loads the profile of access token owner.
});

OR

linkedin.people.me(['id', 'first-name', 'last-name'], function(err, $in) {
    // Loads the profile of access token owner.
});

Profile by Public URL.

linkedin.people.url('long_public_url_here', function(err, $in) {
    // Returns dob, education 
});

OR

linkedin.people.url('long_public_url_here', ['id', 'first-name', 'last-name'], function(err, $in) {
    // Returns dob, education
});

Profile by Id.

linkedin.people.id('linkedin_id', function(err, $in) {
    // Loads the profile by id.
});

OR

linkedin.people.id('linkedin_id', ['id', 'first-name', 'last-name'], function(err, $in) {
    // Loads the profile by id.
});

Connections

Invokes LinkedIn's Connections API.

linkedin.connections.retrieve(function(err, connections) {
    // Here you go! Got your connections!
});

Groups

Implements wrapper for LinkedIn Group API and provides interface to invoke API endpoints.

PS: For now, we just have feeds available.

Group discussions by Group ID

linkedin.group.feeds(3769732, function(err, data) {
    // data: variable is ready to use.
});

OR If you want to have custom field selector, take a look at this;

linkedin.group.feeds(3769732, ['field', 'field2', 'field3'] , function(err, data) {
    // data: variable is ready to use.
});

OR even if you want to have custom sorting parameters, you can just pass them as third argument:

linkedin.group.feeds(3769732, ['field', 'field2', 'field3'], {order: 'popularity'}, function(err, data) {
    // data: variable is ready to use.
});

Author

This wrapper has been written & currently under maintenance by Hamza Waqas. He's using twitter at: @HamzaWaqas