Request Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics API
blsAPI is an R package that allows users to request data for one or multiple series through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics API. Users provide parameters as specified in http://www.bls.gov/developers/api_signature.htm and the function returns a JSON string or data frame.
blsAPI can be installed easily through CRAN or GitHub Select which repository you would like to use and type the following commands in R:
install.packages('blsAPI')
library(devtools); install_github('mikeasilva/blsAPI')
The blsAPI package supports two versions of the BLS API. API Version 2.0 requires registration and offers greater query limits. It also allows users to request net and percent changes and series description information. See below for more details.
| Service | Version 2.0 (Registered) | Version 1.0 (Unregistered) |
|---|---|---|
| Daily query limit | 500 | 25 |
| Series per query limit | 50 | 25 |
| Years per query limit | 20 | 10 |
| Net/Percent Changes | Yes | No |
| Optional annual averages | Yes | No |
| Series description information (catalog) | Yes | No |