Get weather data using an alternative API

[SamR1]

Since DarkSky joins Apple (see blog post), new registrations are no longer accepted and the API will be deprecated by the end of 2021 support for the Dark Sky API will end on March 31st, 2023.

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Features provided by DarkSky used by FitTrackee:

• 1,000 free calls per day (no credit card)
• Following weather data:
  • temperature
  • humidity
  • wind (speed and direction)
  • icon label
• Historical data (it's possible to get data for dates in the past)

2 calls are made for a workout (at start and end gpx points)

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Some alternatives: (not exhaustive)

	DarkSky	Meteostat	OpenWeather (One Call API 3.0)	Open-Meteo	Visual Crossing
Free calls	1,000/day	500/month	1,000/day	fair use	1,000/day
Temperature	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:
Humidity	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:
Wind (speed & direction)	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:	:heavy_check_mark:
Icon label	:heavy_check_mark:	:x:	:heavy_check_mark:	:x:	:heavy_check_mark:
Historical data by a timestamp	:heavy_check_mark:	:x:	:heavy_check_mark:	:x:	:white_check_mark: (on hour period)
Data Licence		CC BY-NC 4.0	CC BY-NC 4.0	CC BY-NC 4.0
Misc	EOL : March 2023	Historical data only on hourly period	Matches parameters of Dark Sky API. Payment info required.		Matches parameters of Dark Sky API. No credit card required.

Links:

• How to migrate from Dark Sky API to OpenWeather One Call API 3.0
• How to replace the Dark Sky API using the Visual Crossing Weather API

Other API to be considered:

• MeteoFrance API (no historical data for now, see https://github.com/SamR1/FitTrackee/issues/485)
• PirateWeather

[SamR1]

It looks like support is extended:

By Adam Grossman on June 7, 2021.

Update: Support for the Dark Sky API service for existing customers will continue until the end of 2022. The iOS app and Dark Sky website will also be available until the end of 2022.

[SamR1]

last update:

By Adam Grossman on June 6, 2022.

Update: As previously announced, the Dark Sky iOS app will no longer be available beginning on December 31st, 2022 and, as of this date, already purchased versions of the app will no longer provide weather data. The Dark Sky API and website will continue to function until March 31st, 2023.

[gorgobacka]

How about: https://dev.meteostat.net/ ? I think, only a specific number of requests is free. But maybe it's enough.

[jat255]

Looks like meteostat allows 500 requests monthly; that seems like it would be enough for most users unless you're running a service for many different users.

I think this is important because DarkSky is no longer allowing sign ups for new API keys

I may start playing with this a little bit to see if I can get something working.

[SamR1]

I updated the issue about features used be FitTrackee.

One of features provided by DarkSky is that it provides historical data over long periods (it's useful when importing "old" files).

[jat255]

Here's another potential one: https://www.visualcrossing.com/resources/blog/how-to-replace-the-dark-sky-api-using-the-visual-crossing-timeline-weather-api/

[jat255]

Some research results:

• OpenMeteo seems ideal, since it's free for non-commercial uses and there are no API keys. Their "historical API" is delayed by 5-7 days, however, which is not great. The "forcecast API" only goes back ~6 months. I suppose it would be possible to choose which one to use depending on the activity date, but that's not super simple
• Visual Crossing (from the link I posted previously) has (I believe) the same terms as DarkSky; 1000 requests per day and no credit card required. They claim to have 50 years of global coverage history at hourly resolution. They also claim to support open source projects
• Meteostat's 500/month limit might be limiting if people have a lot of back-dated workouts they want to get weather data for. Given others have no limits or higher limits, I'm leaning against it

[SamR1]

Visual Crossing is now available in FitTrackee v0.7.11, thanks @jat255 for the PR.