Get Started with the Twitter API

This article will illustrate how to register a new Twitter application and start using the Twitter API on any PHP supported Hosting.com Platform.  The Twitter development API allows you to build integrated features. For example, you can allow visitors to log into your site with their Twitter account or post updates on your site and Twitter simultaneously.

Register your Application

Before you begin you need to register a client application with Twitter. This gives you the OAuth information you need and tells Twitter what kind of access you need.

OAuth Authentication  

The Twitter development API uses OAuth authentication which is quickly becoming a standard across the web.  OAuth can be intimidating but there are several libraries available to help you along. This article will use the TwitterOAuth library for PHP.

Installation and Configuration

• On the TwitterOAuth page click the Downloads button, unpack the files on your local computer.
• Rename the root folder to twitteroauth. 
• Edit config.php with your Consumer Key and Consumer Secret obtained by registering your application.
• Enter the http path to callback.php for the OAuth Callback value.  (e.g. http://domain.com/twitteroauth/callback.php)
• Upload the folder to your hosting server. 

Testing your Application

Now you are ready to test the example application. Browser to the twitteroauth folder (e.g. http://domain.com/twitteroauth/).

Click the Twitter Login button.

Click Allow and you will be redirected to the callback URL.  

Now you should see some example non-formatted output from your twitter feed. This is generated from the following on html.inc:

<pre>
        <?php print_r($content); ?>
</pre>

The package also comes with a page that will test out several API calls all at once. To use test.php you must edit line 29 by setting $active = TRUE. Then browse to test.php and click Continue.  

If everything is working properly the output will look like this.

You will see a new Retweet on your Twitter feed.

You will also receive a direct message all from the API calls made. 

Now you have all you need to integrate Twitter into your web site or application!