This page holds evaluations of the client libraries listed on API talk:Client code according to API:Client code/Gold standard. Use the template at the bottom to add your own!

Before evaluating a library, here are some basic questions to consider:

Has it been updated in the last 12 mo? Does it have a lot of open bugs/pull requests, especially compared to the number closed?
- If not, consider noting this on the library's entry on API:Client Code.
Does it have documentation, code samples, and tests provided?
Does it, at the minimum, handle logins, cookies, and continuations? (Even "syntactic sugar"-type libraries should do at least 2 of these.)

If so, the library is a good candidate for a full evaluation.

Python

simplemediawiki

API:Client code/Evaluations/simplemediawiki

wikitools

API:Client code/Evaluations/wikitools

mwclient

API:Client code/Evaluations/mwclient

Pywikibot

API:Client code/Evaluations/Pywikibot

Perl

MediaWiki::API

API:Client code/Evaluations/MediaWiki-API

MediaWiki::Bot

API:Client code/Evaluations/MediaWiki-Bot

Ruby

MediaWiki::Gateway

API:Client code/Evaluations/MediaWiki-Gateway

mediawiki_api

API:Client code/Evaluations/mediawiki-ruby-api

MediaWiki::Butt

API:Client code/Evaluations/MediaWiki-Butt

Java

Java Wiki Bot Framework (JWBF)

API:Client code/Evaluations/Java Wiki Bot Framework (JWBF)

Template

Library name

[Brief description]

Easy to install

Installation instructions are correct and easy to find

Library is packaged for installation through appropriate package library (PyPI, CPAN, npm, Maven, rubygems, etc.)

Platinum standard: library is packaged for and made available through Linux distributions

Easy to understand

Well designed--makes all intended API calls available with the intended level of abstraction with no redundancies

Platinum standard: makes the Wikidata API available

Well documented

Code is commented and readable

Documentation is comprehensive, accurate, and easy to find

Deprecated functions are clearly marked as such

Platinum standard: Documentation is understandable by a novice programmer

Code uses idioms appropriate to the language the library is written in

Easy to use

Has functioning, simple, and well-written code samples for common tasks

Demonstrates queries

Demonstrates edits

Handles API complications or idiosyncrasies so the user doesn't have to

Login/logout

Cookies

Tokens

Query continuations

Requests via https, including certificate validation

Courteous API usage is promoted through code samples and smart defaults

gzip compression is used by default

Examples show how to create and use a meaningful and unique user-agent header (as in https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User-agent_policy)

Platinum standard: generates a unique user-agent string given name/email address/repository location

Efficient usage of API calls

Can be used with the most recent stable version of the language it is written in (e.g. Python 3 compatible)

Easy to debug

Contains unit tests for the longest and most frequently modified functions in the library

Platinum standard: Unit tests for many code paths exist and are maintained

Terrible hacks/instances of extreme cleverness are clearly marked as such in comments

Documentation links to the relevant section/subpage of the API documentation

Easy to improve

Library maintainers are responsive and courteous, and foster a thoughtful and inclusive community of developers and users

Platinum standard: Project sets clear expectations for conduct for spaces where project-related interactions occur (mailing list, IRC, repository, issue tracker). It should:

State desired attitudes and behaviors
Provide examples of unwelcome and harassing behavior
Specify how these expectations will be enforced

Pull requests are either accepted or rejected with reason within 3 weeks (Platinum standard: 3 business days)

Issues/bugs are responded to in some manner within 3 weeks (Platinum standard: 3 business days) (but not necessarily fixed)

The library is updated and a new version is released within 3 weeks (Platinum standard: 3 business days) when breaking changes are made to the API

Platinum standard: library maintainers contact MediaWiki API maintainers with feedback on the API's design and function

Library specifies the license it is released under