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Getting started

You need to have an active subscription to use WebSpellChecker API. If you don't have one yet, you can sign up for a trial version first to evaluate if it fits your needs. On the subscription, you will receive a confirmation email with the subscription information and service ID (an activation key). You can also find your service ID on your account page on the webspellchecker.com website.

Overview

Below is the whole list of commands “cmd” that are available in WebSpellChecker API:

Request format

Depending on your tasks and needs, you can form and send your API requests using GET or POST methods. Below you will find templates for both request methods.

Template of request URL using GET

WebSpellChecker Web API provides a set of spell and grammar checking commands and additional parameters to the WebSpellChecker engine. 

1. Web API Commands Overview

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• check_spelling

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• grammar_check

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• user_dictionary

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http(s)://your_host_name/spellcheck/script/ssrv.fcgi?cmd=[command]&[parameter]=[value]

2. Check Spelling Command

Here is a list of all possible parameters and values that can be used with the check_spelling command.

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• json
• xml

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• callback function name

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• positions – Return positions and length of misspelled words in a given text and their suggestions.
• words – Return misspelled words and their suggestions.

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• 0 – Do not ignore all words written in capital letters (e.g. UPPERCASE). 
• 1 – Ignore all words written in capital letters.

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• 0 – Do not ignore words that contain numbers (e.g. Number1).
• 1 – Ignore words that contain numbers.

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• 0 – Do not ignore words with mixed case letters (e.g. MixedCase).
• 1 – Ignore words with mixed case letters.

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• 0 – Do not ignore web addresses that start with either “www”, “http:” or “https:” and end with a domain name.
• 1 – Ignore web addresses and domain names.

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• plain text

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• Default languages short codes (e.g. en_US)
• Additional languages short codes (e.g. ar_SA)

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• user dictionary name (e.g. testdict)

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• custom dictionary ID value assigned in a DicId parameter.

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• additional wordlist

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This parameter specifies a special customer ID value that has to be passed to a request query.

Example 1.1: Check Spelling Request (XML)

http(s)://your_host_name/spellcheck/script/ssrv.fcgi?cmd=check_spelling&format=xml&text=This sampl text demonstrates the work of the WebSpellChecker Web API service.&out_type=words&slang=en_US

Parameters:

• Command: check_spelling
• Format: XML
• Text: “This sampl text demonstrates the work of the WebSpellChecker Web API service.”
• Output: words
• Language: American English (en_US)

Request Response:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<check_spelling>
    <misspelling>
        <word>sampl</word>
        <ud>false</ud>
        <suggestions>
            <suggestion>sample</suggestion>
            <suggestion>sampled</suggestion>
            <suggestion>sampler</suggestion>
            <suggestion>samples</suggestion>
            <suggestion>ample</suggestion>
            <suggestion>amply</suggestion>
            <suggestion>scamp</suggestion>
            <suggestion>stamp</suggestion>
        </suggestions>
    </misspelling>
</check_spelling>

Example 1.2: Check Spelling Request (JSON)

http(s)https://your_host_name/spellcheck/script/ssrv.fcgisvc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=check_spelling&format=json&text=This sampl text demonstrates the work of the WebSpellChecker Web API service.&out_type=words&slang=en_US

Parameters:

• Command: check_spelling
• Format: JSON
• Text: “This sampl text demonstrates the work of the WebSpellChecker Web API service.”
• Output: words
• Language: American English (en_US)

Request Response:

[{"word":"sampl","ud":"false","suggestions":["sample","sampled","sampler","samples","ample","amply","scamp","stamp"]}]

2. Grammar Check Command

Here is a list of all possible parameters and values that can be used with the grammar_check command.

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• json
• xml

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• callback function name

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• plain text

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[command]&[parameter]=[value]&customerid=[your-service-id]

Template of request URL using POST

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• en_US – American English short code
• en_GB – British English short  code

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The parameter sets a shot code of a language which will be used for grammar checking. 

Example 2.1: Grammar Check Request (XML)

http(s)https://your_host_name/spellcheck/script/ssrv.fcgi?cmd=grammar_check&format=xml&text=Web API provides a gramar checking command that will help you builds a custom solution.&slang=en_US

Parameters:

• Command: grammar_check
• Format: XML
• Text: “Web API provides a gramar checking command that will help you builds a custom solution.”
• Language: American English (en_US)

Request Response:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<grammar_check>
    <grammar_problem>
        <phrase>you builds</phrase>
        <description>Pronoun "you" conflicts with verb "builds."</description>
        <problem_id>437780848</problem_id>
        <suggestions>
            <suggestion>you build</suggestion>
            <suggestion>you, builds</suggestion>
        </suggestions>
    </grammar_problem>
</grammar_check>

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svc.webspellchecker.net/api?

http(s)://your_host_name/spellcheck/script/ssrv.fcgi?cmd=grammar_check&format=json&text=Web API provides a gramar checking command that will help you builds a custom solution.&slang=en_US

Parameters:

• Command: grammar_check
• Format: JSON
• Text: “Web API provides a gramar checking command that will help you builds a custom solution.”
• Language: American English (en_US)

Request Response:

[{"phrase":"you builds","description":"Pronoun \"you\" conflicts with verb \"builds.\"","problem_id":"437780848",
"suggestions":["you build","you, builds"]}]

3. User Dictionary Command

Here is a list of all possible parameters and values that can be used with the user_dictionary command.

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• json
• xml

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• callback function name

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• create – Create a new user dictionary.
• rename – Rename an existing user dictionary.
• delete – Delete an existing user dictionary.
• addword – Add a new word to a specified user dictionary.
• deleteword – Remove a word from a specified user dictionary.
• editword – Edit a word in a specified user dictionary.
• check – Check if a specified user ductionary exists on the server.
• getdict – Get content of a specified user dictionary (for JSON only).

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Here is a list of all possible parameters and values that can be used with the user_dictionary action parameter.

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• name of a new user dictionary

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• coma-separated words which will be added to a new dictionary

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• name of a selected user dictionary

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• name of a selected user dictionary

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• a new name for a chosen user dictionary

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• name of a chosen user dictionary

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• name of a required user dictionary

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• name of a chosen user dictionary

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• a new word which will be added to a specified user dictionary

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• name of a chosen user dictionary

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• word which will be removed from a specified user dictionary

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• name of a chosen user dictionary

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• word which will be edited

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• a new word which replaces a word picked for editing

Example 3.1: Create User Dictionary (XML)

http(s)://your_host_name/spellcheck/script/ssrv.fcgi?cmd=user_dictionary&format=xml&action=create&name=user_dictionary&wordlist=SCAYT, SpellCheckAsYouType, WSC, WebSpellChecker, Proofreader

Parameters:

• Command: user_dictionary
• Action: Create
• Name: “user_dictionary”
• Wordlist: “SCAYT, SpellCheckAsYouType, WSC, WebSpellChecker, Proofreader”
• Format: XML

Request Response:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<dictionary>
    <name>user_dictionary</name>
    <action>create</action>
</dictionary>

Example 3.2: Get User Dictionary Content (JSON)

http(s)://your_host_name/spellcheck/script/ssrv.fcgi?cmd=user_dictionary&format=json&action=getdict&name=user_dictionary

Parameters:

• Command: user_dictionary
• Action: getdict
• Name: “user_dictionary”
• Format: JSON

Request Response:

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cmd=[command]&[parameter]=[value]&customerid=[your-service-id]

Response format

The response format will differ depending on the type of command. 

HTTP status codes

Refer to Overview of HTTP Status Codes section for more information on HTTP responses you may get when integrating WebSpellChecker API.