Random Joke API

GET

Deliver a fresh joke with a distinct setup and punchline.

Random Joke fetches two-part jokes with separated setups and punchlines for applications and bots. Paid plans add a joke rating score to evaluate humor.

Try it — live request, no key required

Request

GETapi.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke

Verification

Format

No key required to try it. Get a key to use it in your app.

Example

{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "score": 7,
    "setup": "Why is the space between a woman's chest and her hips called a waist?",
    "punchline": "Because you could easily fit another pair of tits in there."
  }
}

About the Random Joke API

Every GET request pulls a joke split into an opening setup and a concluding punchline. The endpoint accepts no query parameters, serving an unprompted selection on each call. Paid subscriptions append a numeric quality score to each returned joke.

What people use it for

CLI MOTD Banners: To lighten command-line workflows, terminal scripts fetch and print a setup and punchline whenever an engineer opens a shell session.
Interactive Kiosk Idling: When visitors leave a public touchscreen idle, display software cycles through jokes to draw pedestrians back to the screen.
Livestream Overlay Alerts: During broadcast breaks, streaming software displays a joke setup followed by punchline text on screen to entertain waiting viewers.
Push Notification Punchlines: Mobile apps boost daily retention by delivering the joke setup as a notification teaser and revealing the punchline on tap.

Ways to call it

One endpoint, many ways in — REST with JSON, XML, YAML and CSV, plus GraphQL and an MCP interface for AI agents.

JSON: Default REST response
XML: Markup format
YAML: Human-readable
CSV: Tabular export
GraphQL: Query language
MCP: For AI agents

View all integrations →

Other ways to use Random Joke

Same data, same APIVerve account, same credit balance — one key works on all of them.

Give it to an AI agentConnect over MCP and your agent calls it as a native tool — Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT.on VerveKit

Questions.

Common questions about the Random Joke API.

Read the docs →

What would 20,000 jokes a month cost me?

Fetching 20,000 jokes uses 40,000 credits, which fits well within the Starter plan's monthly allotment of 200,000 credits. On that plan, usage works out to about $0.30 per 1,000 jokes, or roughly $0.0003 per joke. If you are testing, the Free plan includes 100 jokes each month.

Do I get the joke score on the Free plan?

No, the rating score is a premium field reserved for paid plans. Free plan requests return the joke setup and punchline, while upgrading to Starter or higher unlocks the joke rating value.

Are jokes delivered in a structured setup and punchline format?

Yes, every response separates the joke into distinct setup and punchline fields. This structured output makes it straightforward to display the setup first and reveal the punchline on click or delay.

Can I filter jokes by genre, audience, or keyword?

No, the endpoint accepts no query parameters and pulls directly from the curated joke collection. You cannot filter by specific topics, categories, or keywords.

Does the API avoid repeating jokes across consecutive calls?

No, the endpoint is stateless and selects a joke at random on every call. It does not track user sessions or past responses, so duplicate jokes can occasionally appear over repeated requests.

Request parameters — GET /v1/randomjoke

This endpoint takes no parameters

Call it with your key and nothing else. Any query string you send is ignored rather than rejected.

Example request

1
2

curl "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Authentication

Send your key in the x-api-key header. That is the only auth step — no token exchange, and no per-endpoint scope to configure.

Header	When	Value
`x-api-key`Required	Every request	Your API key. Header names are case-insensitive, so `X-API-Key` is the same header.
`Authorization`Alternate	Instead of the above	`Bearer <key>` — for clients that only expose bearer auth. Resolves to the same account and the same billing.

401 is the only auth verdict

A 401 means the key is missing, invalid or expired. A 403 means the key is valid but not permitted here — blocked by a key restriction or an IP allow-list. Running out of credits is a 429.

Response — GET /v1/randomjoke

Every APIVerve endpoint returns the same three top-level keys, so one response handler covers your whole integration: status, error and data. Only data changes shape.

Sample response

{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "score": 7,
    "setup": "Why is the space between a woman's chest and her hips called a waist?",
    "punchline": "Because you could easily fit another pair of tits in there."
  }
}

Response fields

Paths are relative to data. Premium fields are absent rather than zeroed on plans that do not include them, so check for presence instead of comparing to 0.

Field	Type	Example	Description
`score`Premium	number	`7`	Joke rating or score value
`setup`	string	`"Why is the space between a woman's chest and her hips called a waist?"`	Opening or setup line of the joke
`punchline`	string	`"Because you could easily fit another pair of tits in there."`	Punchline or conclusion of the joke

Response headers

Every response carries your balance, so your own code always knows where it stands without polling anything. All four are exposed to browsers through CORS.

Header	What it carries
`x-api-remaining-credits`	Credits left in the current cycle
`x-api-credits-used`	Credits spent in the current cycle
`x-api-max-credits`	The allowance for the cycle
`x-api-version`	Version of the endpoint that answered

Errors

Read the HTTP status first, then error for the specific reason. The body names the parameter that has to change.

Status	Meaning	What to do
`400`	Input was rejected	Read `error`; it names the parameter that has to change.
`401`	Key missing or invalid	Check the header name and the key value.
`403`	Key valid, but not permitted here	A key restriction or an IP allow-list — never a bad key.
`429`	Rate limited, or out of credits	Read `error` to tell them apart, then back off or top up.

What a call costs — 2 credits per call

Credits are shared across every APIVerve API — one balance, one key, one bill. Failed requests never count against it, so a rejected input costs nothing.

Plan	Per month	Credits	Random Joke calls	Per 1,000 calls
Free	Free	200	100	Free
Starter	$29.99	200,000	100,000	$0.30
Pro	$99.99	1,000,000	500,000	$0.20
Mega	$299.99	4,000,000	2,000,000	$0.15

Calls are what the credits buy at this API's rate — spend them here, on any of the other APIs, or across both. Nothing is reserved per endpoint.

Compare all pricing tiers →

Call it from cURL — GET /v1/randomjoke

No SDK to install — this is a plain HTTPS call to /v1/randomjoke with your key in the x-api-key header. Swap in a real key and it runs as-is.

cURL

1
2

curl "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Resources

GitHubapiverve/randomjoke-apiSource, issues and the examples this page is built from.ReferenceRandom Joke API docsEvery parameter, every response field, and the errors.ParametersWhat this call acceptsRequired and optional inputs, with example values.

Also published for

@apiverve/randomjokenpm apiverve-randomjokePyPI APIVerve.API.RandomJokeNuGet

Only the languages APIVerve ships a client for are listed — the rest call the endpoint directly over HTTPS.

Call it from Node.js — GET /v1/randomjoke

Install the Node.js SDK, then call the Random Joke API with your key. The client wraps the same HTTPS request, so anything it returns is what the endpoint returns.

Install — npm

npm install @apiverve/randomjoke

Node.js

const res = await fetch("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke", {
  headers: { "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY" },
});
const { data } = await res.json();
console.log(data);

Resources

npm@apiverve/randomjokeThe published Node.js client, versioned and signed.GitHubapiverve/randomjoke-apiSource, issues and the examples this page is built from.ReferenceRandom Joke API docsEvery parameter, every response field, and the errors.ParametersWhat this call acceptsRequired and optional inputs, with example values.

Also published for

apiverve-randomjokePyPI APIVerve.API.RandomJokeNuGet

Only the languages APIVerve ships a client for are listed — the rest call the endpoint directly over HTTPS.

Call it from Python — GET /v1/randomjoke

Install the Python SDK, then call the Random Joke API with your key. The client wraps the same HTTPS request, so anything it returns is what the endpoint returns.

Install — PyPI

pip install apiverve-randomjoke

Python

import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke",
    headers={"x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
print(res.json()["data"])

Resources

PyPIapiverve-randomjokeThe published Python client, versioned and signed.GitHubapiverve/randomjoke-apiSource, issues and the examples this page is built from.ReferenceRandom Joke API docsEvery parameter, every response field, and the errors.ParametersWhat this call acceptsRequired and optional inputs, with example values.

Also published for

@apiverve/randomjokenpm APIVerve.API.RandomJokeNuGet

Only the languages APIVerve ships a client for are listed — the rest call the endpoint directly over HTTPS.

Call it from C# / .NET — GET /v1/randomjoke

Install the C# / .NET SDK, then call the Random Joke API with your key. The client wraps the same HTTPS request, so anything it returns is what the endpoint returns.

Install — NuGet

dotnet add package APIVerve.API.RandomJoke

C# / .NET

using var client = new HttpClient();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-api-key", "YOUR_API_KEY");

var json = await client.GetStringAsync("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke");
Console.WriteLine(json);

Resources

NuGetAPIVerve.API.RandomJokeThe published C# / .NET client, versioned and signed.GitHubapiverve/randomjoke-apiSource, issues and the examples this page is built from.ReferenceRandom Joke API docsEvery parameter, every response field, and the errors.ParametersWhat this call acceptsRequired and optional inputs, with example values.

Also published for

@apiverve/randomjokenpm apiverve-randomjokePyPI

Only the languages APIVerve ships a client for are listed — the rest call the endpoint directly over HTTPS.

Call it from Go — GET /v1/randomjoke

No SDK to install — this is a plain HTTPS call to /v1/randomjoke with your key in the x-api-key header. Swap in a real key and it runs as-is.

req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke", nil)
req.Header.Set("x-api-key", "YOUR_API_KEY")

res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
defer res.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))

Resources

Also published for

@apiverve/randomjokenpm apiverve-randomjokePyPI APIVerve.API.RandomJokeNuGet

Only the languages APIVerve ships a client for are listed — the rest call the endpoint directly over HTTPS.

Call it from PHP — GET /v1/randomjoke

No SDK to install — this is a plain HTTPS call to /v1/randomjoke with your key in the x-api-key header. Swap in a real key and it runs as-is.

PHP

$ch = curl_init("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, ["x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"]);

$response = curl_exec($ch);
echo $response;

Resources

Also published for

@apiverve/randomjokenpm apiverve-randomjokePyPI APIVerve.API.RandomJokeNuGet

Only the languages APIVerve ships a client for are listed — the rest call the endpoint directly over HTTPS.

Call it from Ruby — GET /v1/randomjoke

No SDK to install — this is a plain HTTPS call to /v1/randomjoke with your key in the x-api-key header. Swap in a real key and it runs as-is.

Ruby

require "net/http"

uri = URI("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/randomjoke")
req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
req["x-api-key"] = "YOUR_API_KEY"

res = Net::HTTP.start(uri.hostname, uri.port, use_ssl: true) { |h| h.request(req) }
puts res.body

Resources

Also published for

@apiverve/randomjokenpm apiverve-randomjokePyPI APIVerve.API.RandomJokeNuGet

Only the languages APIVerve ships a client for are listed — the rest call the endpoint directly over HTTPS.

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Random Joke API

Try it — live request, no key required

About the Random Joke API

What people use it for

Ways to call it

Other ways to use Random Joke

Questions.

Request parameters — GET /v1/randomjoke

Authentication

Response — GET /v1/randomjoke

Response fields

Response headers

Errors

What a call costs — 2 credits per call

Call it from cURL — GET /v1/randomjoke

Resources

Also published for

Call it from Node.js — GET /v1/randomjoke

Resources

Also published for

Call it from Python — GET /v1/randomjoke

Resources

Also published for

Call it from C# / .NET — GET /v1/randomjoke

Resources

Also published for

Call it from Go — GET /v1/randomjoke

Resources

Also published for

Call it from PHP — GET /v1/randomjoke

Resources

Also published for

Call it from Ruby — GET /v1/randomjoke

Resources

Also published for

Zero-code embed — one snippet, no backend

Changelog — Random Joke API

Entertainment

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