canonical: https://jentic.com/apis/theoldreader.com/theoldreader

# The Old Reader API

A Google Reader-compatible RSS reader API with authentication, subscriptions, items, folders, friends, and comments management. The API exposes 18 endpoints secured with apiKey authentication.

## For AI agents

Programmatically authenticate and obtain auth token, get authentication token. Covers 18 operations with apiKey authentication.

## Scope

Does not handle communications, crm, or developer tools - use for payments only.

## Capabilities

- Authenticate and obtain auth token
- Get authentication token
- Check API status
- List all subscriptions
- Add a subscription
- Edit a subscription

## Use cases

### Payments Operations

Use the The Old Reader API to perform payments operations programmatically. The API provides 18 endpoints covering core functionality including authenticate and obtain auth token, get authentication token, get authenticated user details.

Example prompt: Call POST `/accounts/ClientLogin` to authenticate and obtain auth token

### Automated Accounts Management

Automate accounts operations by combining multiple The Old Reader API endpoints. Agents can get authentication token and then get authenticated user details in a single workflow.

Example prompt: Call GET `/reader/api/0/token` to get authentication token, then verify the result

### AI Agent Integration via Jentic

AI agents discover and call The Old Reader API endpoints through Jentic without managing credentials directly. An agent searches for the required operation by intent, receives the matching endpoint schema, and executes the call with Jentic-managed authentication. This eliminates the need to read API documentation or handle apiKey tokens manually.

Example prompt: Search Jentic for 'authenticate and obtain auth token', load the operation schema, and execute with Jentic-managed credentials

## Key endpoints

| Method | Path | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| POST | `/accounts/ClientLogin` | Authenticate and obtain auth token |
| GET | `/reader/api/0/token` | Get authentication token |
| GET | `/reader/api/0/user-info` | Get authenticated user details |
| GET | `/reader/api/0/status` | Check API status |
| GET | `/reader/api/0/subscription/list` | List all subscriptions |
| POST | `/reader/api/0/subscription/quickadd` | Add a subscription |
| POST | `/reader/api/0/subscription/edit` | Edit a subscription |
| GET | `/reader/api/0/unread-count` | Get unread counts |

## Key resources

- **Accounts** — Operations for accounts
- **Reader** — Operations for reader

## Why Jentic

- **Setup:** Wiring The Old Reader by hand means running its ClientLogin flow, passing the GoogleLogin auth token in the Authorization header on each call, and handling your own retries. Through Jentic you install once, import The Old Reader from the API Directory, store the token once, and your agent calls it.
- **Permission scoping:** The Old Reader identifies subscriptions and items through request parameters rather than owned URL paths, so scope it by operations: limit the agent to the calls it needs, such as listing subscriptions or reading item status, and leave out mutations like adding a subscription unless you want them. Every operation you credit it with stays inside that allowed set.
- **Credential handling:** Your The Old Reader token is stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time. It never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.
- **Discovery method:** Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'list my feed subscriptions' or 'get unread items', and Jentic returns the matching The Old Reader operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.

## Related APIs

- **Stripe** — Alternative payments API
- **Adyen** — Alternative payments API
- **Square** — Complementary payments API
- **Paypal** — Complementary payments API

## FAQ

### What authentication does the The Old Reader API use?

The The Old Reader API uses an API key passed in the `Authorization` header. Through Jentic, these credentials are stored encrypted in your Jentic One instance and injected at execution time, so raw secrets never enter the agent context.

### Can I authenticate and obtain auth token with the The Old Reader API?

Yes. Use the POST `/accounts/ClientLogin` endpoint. The API returns structured JSON responses that agents can parse and act on directly.

### What are the rate limits for the The Old Reader API?

Rate limits are not specified in the OpenAPI spec. Check the vendor documentation for current limits. Through Jentic, rate limiting is handled automatically with retry logic built into the execution layer.

### How do I authenticate and obtain auth token through Jentic?

Install the Jentic SDK with pip install jentic, authenticate through Jentic One, the self-hosted execution layer, then search for 'authenticate and obtain auth token'. Jentic returns the matching The Old Reader API operation with its input schema. Load the schema and execute the call - credentials are injected automatically.

### How many endpoints does the The Old Reader API have?

The The Old Reader API exposes 18 endpoints covering accounts, reader operations.

### Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the The Old Reader API?

Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which The Old Reader operations and credentials the agent may use. Since the API identifies subscriptions and items through request parameters rather than owned paths, you scope it by operation: you can allow read-only calls such as listing subscriptions and getting unread counts while withholding mutations like adding or editing a subscription. Every operation stays inside the allowed set you grant, so the agent can only call what you have permitted.