icanhazdadjoke — Free Random Dad Jokes API (No Key)

TL;DR

icanhazdadjoke is a dedicated API for dad jokes — intentionally cheesy, pun-filled one-liners that make you groan and smile. Each joke has a unique ID, a joke text, and a permalink on their website. The API supports getting a random joke, searching by keyword (handy for themed joke sessions), and retrieving specific jokes by ID. Set the Accept header to application/json for structured JSON, or text/plain for raw joke text. No API key, no rate limits advertised.

Quick start: https://icanhazdadjoke.com/

No API key needed — just make a request!

Get a random dad joke (JSON): https://icanhazdadjoke.com/

Try This URL Now

How to Use This API

1. Random Joke (JSON)

Set the Accept header to request JSON:

curl -H "Accept: application/json" https://icanhazdadjoke.com/

Returns: {"id": "abc123", "joke": "Why don't scientists trust atoms? They make up everything!", "status": 200}

2. Random Joke (Plain Text)

curl -H "Accept: text/plain" https://icanhazdadjoke.com/

3. Search Jokes

Find jokes about a specific topic:

https://icanhazdadjoke.com/search?term=pirate&limit=5

4. Get Joke by ID

https://icanhazdadjoke.com/j/{jokeId}

5. JavaScript — Fetch Dad Joke

fetch('https://icanhazdadjoke.com/', {
  headers: { 'Accept': 'application/json' }
})
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => {
    console.log(data.joke);
    console.log(`Joke ID: ${data.id}`);
  })
  .catch(err => console.error('No jokes for you:', err));

6. Python — Get Multiple Jokes

import requests

headers = {'Accept': 'application/json'}

# Random joke
resp = requests.get('https://icanhazdadjoke.com/', headers=headers)
print(f"Random: {resp.json()['joke']}\n")

# Search for food jokes
resp = requests.get(
    'https://icanhazdadjoke.com/search',
    params={'term': 'food', 'limit': 3},
    headers=headers
)
jokes = resp.json()['results']
for j in jokes:
    print(f"- {j['joke']}")

Frequently Asked Questions

How many dad jokes are available?: The database contains thousands of dad jokes contributed by the community. New jokes can be submitted via the website.
Do I need an API key?: No. icanhazdadjoke is completely free with no authentication required. Just set the appropriate Accept header.
How do I get JSON output?: Set the Accept request header to application/json. Without it, the API returns HTML (showing the joke on a webpage).
Can I search for jokes by keyword?: Yes, use /search?term=keyword. Results include matching jokes with pagination support via the page parameter.
What format does the search response use?: JSON with fields: current_page, limit, next_page, previous_page, results (array of joke objects), search_term, status, and total_jokes.
Are there rate limits?: No documented rate limits. The API is designed for fun and casual use, but please be reasonable with request volume.

API Details

API URL: https://icanhazdadjoke.com/
Documentation: icanhazdadjoke.com/api
Category: Fun
Authentication: Not Required
Geographic Coverage: Global

What You Can Build

Morning dad joke email subscription — start every day with a groan
Slack bot that posts random dad jokes in #watercooler at lunchtime
Alexa skill that tells dad jokes on voice command
Joke-of-the-day widget for your team's internal dashboard
Android/iOS widget that shows a fresh dad joke on your home screen