How to get access token? (Reddit API)

Question

I wonder if it is possible to get a permanent access token for personal use on Reddit? It will only be me using the App.

For users, the access token expires after an hour.

My using the below information that I have about my client-id and secret, I put up a start attempt of trying to get an access token. (MessageBox show "Error 401")

If a user will get a token, one have to click "Allow" in the browser. Very well described here. https://github.com/reddit/reddit/wiki/OAuth2 This it NOT what I am after. I am after for, personal use, an access token only through code. Is this possible?

String requestUrl = "https://ssl.reddit.com/api/v1/access_token";

RestSharp.RestClient rc = new RestSharp.RestClient();
RestSharp.RestRequest request = new RestSharp.RestRequest(requestUrl, RestSharp.Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
//request.AddHeader("Authorization", ""); //???
request.AddHeader("x-li-format", "json");

request.AddParameter("client_id", "abcdefg");
request.AddParameter("client_secret", "abc123-456");
request.AddParameter("grant_type", "abc123-456");
request.AddParameter("scope", "identity");
request.AddParameter("state", "adhasegw"); //whatever value
request.AddParameter("duration", "permanent");
request.AddParameter("redirect_uri", "http://mywebsite.co");

request.RequestFormat = RestSharp.DataFormat.Json;

RestSharp.RestResponse restResponse = (RestSharp.RestResponse)rc.Execute(request);
RestSharp.ResponseStatus responseStatus = restResponse.ResponseStatus;



MessageBox.Show(restResponse.Content.ToString() + "," + responseStatus.ToString());

Turnspit

Answer 1

As of right now, you cannot retrieve a permanent access token. You have 2 options that come close.

The first is to request a "refresh" token when using the standard OAuth flow. That's what you're doing by sending "duration" as "permanent" in your code. The refresh token can be used to automatically retrieve new 1 hour access tokens without user intervention; the only manual steps are on the initial retrieval of the refresh token.

The second alternative, which applies only when writing a script for personal use, is to use the password grant type. The steps are described in more detail on reddit's "OAuth Quick Start" wiki page, but I'll summarize here:

1. Create an OAuth client (under https://www.reddit.com/prefs/apps) with type = "script"
2. Make a request to https://www.reddit.com/api/v1/access_token with POST parameters grant_type=password&username=<USERNAME>&password=<PASSWORD>. Send your client ID and secret as HTTP basic authentication. <USERNAME> must be registered as a developer of the OAuth 2 client ID you send.

Velamen

Answer 2

A client_id and client_secret can be generated for a reddit account by going to https://www.reddit.com/prefs/apps and creating an app:

The part I have hidden is my client_id.

Then you can use a client like praw to access reddit e.g. with Python:

import praw
r = praw.Reddit(client_id='insert id here',
                client_secret='insert secret here',
                user_agent='insert user agent')
page = r.subreddit('aww')
top_posts = page.hot(limit=None)
for post in top_posts:
    print(post.title, post.ups)

You could use your current browser's user agent, which can be easily found by google searching "what is my user agent" (among other ways).

Riparian

What is the client_secret? I see you have only client_id. – Biographical

Click “edit” on Reddit’s authorised applications page to view the client_secret – Raccoon