Obtaining and using access tokens

rtweet: Collecting Twitter Data

Source: vignettes/auth.Rmd

rtweet

This vignette covers how to obtain and use Twitter API access tokens for use in the rtweet package.

Creating a Twitter App

  • To create a Twitter app, you will first need to apply for a developer account. This process along with a detailed explanation can be found at developer.twitter.com.

  • Once you have acquired a developer account, navigate to developer.twitter.com/en/apps, click the blue button that says, Create a New App, and then complete the form with the following fields:
    • App Name: What your app will be called
    • Application Description: How your app will be described to its users

      create-app-1

    • Website URLs: Website associated with app–I recommend using the URL to your Twitter profile
    • Callback URLs: IMPORTANT enter exactly the following: http://127.0.0.1:1410

      create-app-2

    • Tell us how this app will be used: Be clear and honest

      create-app-3

  • When you’ve completed the required form fields, click the blue Create button at the bottom
  • Read through and indicate whether you accept the developer terms

    create-app-4

  • And you’re done!

    create-app-5

Authorization methods

Users can create their personal Twitter token in two different ways. Each method is outlined below.

1. Browser-based authentication

  • Authentication via web browser requires the httpuv package to be installed.
## install httpuv if not already
if (!requireNamespace("httpuv", quietly = TRUE)) {
  install.packages("httpuv")
}
  • Navigate to developer.twitter.com/en/apps and select your Twitter app
  • Click the tab labeled Keys and tokens to retrieve your keys.
  • Locate the Consumer API keys (aka “API Secret”).

create-app-6

  • Copy and paste the two keys (along with the name of your app) into an R script file and pass them along to create_token().
## load rtweet
library(rtweet)

## store api keys (these are fake example values; replace with your own keys)
api_key <- "afYS4vbIlPAj096E60c4W1fiK"
api_secret_key <- "bI91kqnqFoNCrZFbsjAWHD4gJ91LQAhdCJXCj3yscfuULtNkuu"

## authenticate via web browser
token <- create_token(
  app = "rstatsjournalismresearch",
  consumer_key = api_key,
  consumer_secret = api_secret_key)
  • A browser pop-up window should appear. Click to approve (must be signed into twitter.com) and return to R.
  • Your token has been created. Print your token to make sure the app name and api_key match
## view token (you should see the correct app name)
token

2. Access token/secret method

  • Navigate to developer.twitter.com/en/apps and select your Twitter app
  • Click the tab labeled Keys and tokens to retrieve your keys.
  • Locate the Consumer API keys (aka “API Secret”).

create-app-6

  • Scroll down to Access token & access token secret and click Create

create-app-7

  • Copy and paste the four keys (along with the name of your app) into an R script file and pass them along to create_token().
## store api keys (these are fake example values; replace with your own keys)
api_key <- "afYS4vbIlPAj096E60c4W1fiK"
api_secret_key <- "bI91kqnqFoNCrZFbsjAWHD4gJ91LQAhdCJXCj3yscfuULtNkuu"
access_token <- "9551451262-wK2EmA942kxZYIwa5LMKZoQA4Xc2uyIiEwu2YXL"
access_token_secret <- "9vpiSGKg1fIPQtxc5d5ESiFlZQpfbknEN1f1m2xe5byw7"

## authenticate via web browser
token <- create_token(
  app = "rstatsjournalismresearch",
  consumer_key = api_key,
  consumer_secret = api_secret_key,
  access_token = access_token,
  access_secret = access_token_secret)

Authorization in future R sessions

  • The create_token() function should automatically save your token as an environment variable for you. So next time you start an R session [on the same machine], rtweet should automatically find your token.
  • To make sure it works, restart your R session, run the following code, and again check to make sure the app name and api_key match.
## check to see if the token is loaded
library(rtweet)
get_token()

That’s it!