WHOIS Lookup Tool | APIVerve API Tutorial

A Python CLI tool that looks up domain registration information. View registrar, dates, nameservers, and contact details.

---

Get Your Free API Key

This tutorial requires an APIVerve API key. Sign up free - no credit card required.

---

Features

• Look up WHOIS data for any domain
• View registrar information
• See creation and expiry dates
• View nameservers
• See domain status codes
• Contact information (when available)
• Interactive mode or command-line arguments

Quick Start

1. Clone this repository

   git clone https://github.com/apiverve/whois-lookup-python-tutorial.git
   cd whois-lookup-python-tutorial

2. Install dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Add your API key

   Open lookup.py and replace the API key:

   API_KEY = 'your-api-key-here'

4. Run the tool

   Interactive mode:

   python lookup.py

   Command line mode:

   python lookup.py github.com

Usage Examples

Look up a domain

$ python lookup.py github.com

=======================================================
  WHOIS Lookup: github.com
=======================================================

  Registrar Information
  ---------------------------------------------------
  Registrar:      MarkMonitor Inc.
  Created:        2007-10-09
  Expires:        2026-10-09
  Updated:        2024-09-08

  Domain Status
  ---------------------------------------------------
    clientDeleteProhibited
    clientTransferProhibited
    clientUpdateProhibited

  Nameservers
  ---------------------------------------------------
    dns1.p08.nsone.net
    dns2.p08.nsone.net
    dns3.p08.nsone.net
    dns4.p08.nsone.net
    ns-1283.awsdns-32.org
    ns-1707.awsdns-21.co.uk
    ns-421.awsdns-52.com
    ns-520.awsdns-01.net

=======================================================

Project Structure

whois-lookup-python-tutorial/
├── lookup.py           # Main Python script
├── requirements.txt    # Dependencies (requests)
├── screenshot.jpg      # Preview image
├── LICENSE             # MIT license
├── .gitignore          # Git ignore rules
└── README.md           # This file

How It Works

1. User provides a domain name
2. Script cleans and validates the input
3. API queries WHOIS database
4. Script formats and displays results

The API Call

response = requests.get(
    'https://api.apiverve.com/v1/whoislookup',
    params={'domain': domain},
    headers={'x-api-key': API_KEY}
)

API Reference

Endpoint: GET https://api.apiverve.com/v1/whoislookup

Query Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
domain	string	Yes	Domain to look up (e.g., "google.com")

Example Response:

{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "domainName": "MYSPACE.COM",
    "registrar": "GoDaddy.com, LLC",
    "createdDate": "1996-02-22T05:00:00Z",
    "expiryDate": "2029-02-23T05:00:00Z",
    "updatedDate": "2023-01-17T00:16:21Z",
    "domainStatus": [
      "client delete prohibited",
      "client transfer prohibited"
    ],
    "nameServers": [
      "ns-cloud-a1.googledomains.com",
      "ns-cloud-a2.googledomains.com"
    ],
    "registrarURL": "http://www.godaddy.com"
  }
}

Use Cases

• Domain research - Check who owns a domain
• Due diligence - Verify domain ownership
• Expiry tracking - Monitor domain expiration
• Brand protection - Find infringing domains
• Security investigation - Research suspicious domains
• Sales prospecting - Find domain contact info

Customization Ideas

• Add domain expiry alerts
• Monitor multiple domains from a list
• Save results to CSV/JSON
• Build a web interface
• Compare WHOIS history over time
• Integrate with CRM systems

Related APIs

Explore more APIs at APIVerve:

• Domain Availability - Check if a domain is available
• DNS Lookup - Check DNS records
• SSL Checker - Check SSL certificates

Free Plan Note

This tutorial works with the free APIVerve plan. Some APIs may have:

• Locked fields: Premium response fields return null on free plans
• Ignored parameters: Some optional parameters require a paid plan

The API response includes a premium object when limitations apply. Upgrade anytime to unlock all features.

License

MIT - see LICENSE

Links

• Get API Key - Sign up free
• APIVerve Marketplace - Browse 300+ APIs
• WHOIS Lookup API - API details