Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

Interactive Fiction Database

ifdb.org

WebAPI
Visit ifdb.org
Spec score 7.4 #9 of 14 in Game Databases

What it is

Interactive Fiction Database (IFDB) is a free community catalog that helps players find interactive fiction games and decide what to play. Members can add and edit listings, search by title, author, or description, and narrow results with filters for genre, language, authoring system, format, rating, and publication date. Discovery tools include personalized recommendations, lists, polls, reviews, ratings, competitions, and member profiles. For supported titles, a Play Online option opens a game in a browser without an interpreter download; IFDB catalogs game information rather than hosting the games. Developers can use HTTP APIs that return JSON to search, retrieve listings, edit tags, or publish iFiction XML. Those APIs are intended for low-volume, user-driven applications, not frequent crawling or high-load mirroring. Full SQL exports excluding personal information are available through the IF Archive and updated roughly quarterly. IFDB also has web access and supports Z-machine, TADS, Hugo, and executable applications. It is maintained by the Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation and funded by supporter donations.

Spec sheet

Purpose
IFDB is an interactive fiction game catalog and recommendation engine run as a wiki-style community project.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
API
IFDB provides HTTP APIs returning JSON for software that accesses its data, including search and game lookup.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Integrations
The putific API accepts iFiction XML so authoring software can offer a “Publish to IFDB” feature.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Security
IFDB's policy prohibits circumventing passwords or other features that protect personal information and using exploits that may disrupt the site.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Privacy
Many features are accessible without personal information; IFDB says it does not sell or commercially exploit registration information.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Support
Users can contact the IFDB committee by email or report technical issues and suggest features through its GitHub repository.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
API limits
The APIs are intended for low-volume, user-driven applications and are not designed for high-speed crawling or large automated batches.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Catalog
Members can add game listings and edit existing entries to keep the catalog current.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Collaborative catalog
Members can add and edit game listings, so updates and corrections do not have to wait for site administrators.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Community features
The site includes reviews, ratings, polls, lists, competitions, and member profiles.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Community moderation
The Code of Conduct prohibits harassment, spam, malware, misleading links, and bad-faith ratings, and says moderators may remove ratings or reviews judged not to be in good faith.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Content licensing
User-uploaded original material is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States, while cataloged games themselves are not hosted by IFDB.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Cookies and logs
IFDB uses cookies only at the user’s request to keep them logged in, and says its cookies contain no password or other personal information; it says it does not attempt to identify visitors from IP addresses.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Data exports
Full SQL database exports excluding users’ personal information are available through the IF Archive and are updated roughly quarterly.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Operator
IFDB is maintained by the IFDB committee of the Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation and funded by supporters’ donations.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Operator and funding
The Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation maintains IFDB, which is funded by donations from interactive fiction supporters.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Play in browser
A game's “Play Online” button can launch it in a browser without requiring a download, when that option is available on its listing.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Play online
The Play Online button lets users start supported games in a web browser without downloading an interpreter.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Recommendations
Members can create Recommended Lists and use personalized tools that help match games to individual tastes.Read 5 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
Search
Search supports title, author, and description matching, plus structured filters such as genre, language, authoring system, format, rating, and publication date.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org
User content
IFDB says it stores metadata about games rather than hosting the games themselves, and user-uploaded original material is generally licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States, with an exception for qualifying cover art.Read 4 Oct 2026 · ifdb.org

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Members can add and edit game listings.
  • Search includes genre, language, format, and date filters.
  • Supported games can launch in a browser.
  • JSON APIs support search and listing operations.

Limits

  • IFDB catalogs games but does not host them.
  • APIs are not intended for frequent crawling or high-load mirroring.
  • SQL exports are updated roughly quarterly.

Who it suits

IFDB suits players looking for interactive fiction recommendations and a searchable community catalog. Its API may suit third-party software with low-volume, user-driven needs.

Verdict

IFDB combines a collaborative catalog with recommendations, community features, and browser play for supported titles. Developers should keep API use low-volume and user-driven.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to Interactive Fiction DatabaseAll alternatives →