Mungfali gives you a single REST endpoint for keyword image search: structured JSON, up to 150 results per call, and pricing built for indie developers and growing products. This guide walks you from zero to your first successful search.

What you get

One GET endpoint — no SDK required
Up to 150 images per request (no cursor pagination)
Fields like imageUrl, hostUrl, width, height, FamilyFriendly, and accentColor
250 free searches per month on the Free plan

Step 1: Create an account and API key

Register at mungfali.net/signup. After email verification, open Dashboard → API Keys and create a key. Keys use the mgf_live_ prefix — copy the full value once; it is shown only at creation time.

Step 2: Make your first request

Authenticate with the X-API-Key header (or Authorization: Bearer). Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your key:

bash

curl -s "https://mungfali.net/v1/search?q=sunset&count=10" \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

A successful response is JSON with name (your query) and value (an array of image objects). Use value[0].imageUrl for the direct image file URL.

Step 3: Parse the response

javascript

const res = await fetch(
  'https://mungfali.net/v1/search?q=sunset&count=24',
  { headers: { 'X-API-Key': process.env.MUNGFALI_API_KEY } }
);
const data = await res.json();
data.value.forEach((img) => {
  console.log(img.imageUrl, img.width, img.height);
});

Important: keep keys on the server

Never embed API keys in browser JavaScript or mobile apps. Proxy search through your backend so keys stay secret and quota stays under your control.

Monitor usage

The dashboard shows monthly quota, per-minute rate limits, and recent requests. Response headers X-Monthly-Quota-Remaining and X-RateLimit-Remaining help you build client-side warnings before you hit 429 errors.

Go deeper

API Reference — parameters, errors, and plan limits
Examples — SafeSearch, domain filters, server proxies
Pricing — upgrade when you outgrow the Free tier

Getting started with the Mungfali Image Search API