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Yelp, the social reviews, site has launched a new API which allows developers to query the site and display returned data on their own sites. The API allows developers to create mash-ups using Yelp data and nearly any other source -- so long as it is not review.
The API features the ability to:
>* retrieve business review and rating information for a particular geographic region or location.
* display review information for a particular business.
* determine accurate neighborhood name information for a particular location.
* track recent reviews for a particular business.
* display pictures of highly rated local businesses and of the top reviewers for that business.
* determine a particular business' review and rating information based on the phone number for that business.
However, before you get to excited consider the following restrictions:
>You May Not:
* Collect end-user ratings or reviews of local businesses on any website that uses the Yelp API or Yelp Content;
* Aggregate Yelp Content alongside content from other sources (e.g., you will not create aggregate ratings combining ratings from Yelp and other sources);
* Display Yelp Content on any web page or application page that includes local business reviews from another source.
I can see where Yelp wants to be the one and only source for reviews, but it seems like, it Yelp is really as good as it thinks it is, it wouldn't need to limit the competition. After all Google Maps API, the Flickr API and dozens of other site contain no such restrictions.
Another drawback: the default format for returned data is [JSON][1] rather than the more standard XML. You can also request that Yelp return its response in "pickle" (serialized python) or PHP, but if you're not down with those three languages you're out of luck.
For more info, check out the Yelp developer site and be sure to have a look at the great little [Google Maps-Yelp mash-up example][2] for some idea on how you can use the new API.
Perhaps at some point Yelp will come to its senses and remove the silly restrictions on what is otherwise quite a nice little API.
[1]: http://www.json.org
[2]: http://groups.google.com/group/yelp-developer-support/browse_thread/thread/ad36e66bd7bb48d4
[3]: http://www.waxy.org/links/
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