Just linking to rxxxit doesn’t require the API, so no API costs.
There is no flood warning because the individual lemmy user viewing the linked content uses their own IP address.
i.reddit is a web server just like any other and if you have a link to a file there, and it is not otherwise secured, you can embed a link or reference to it in any HTML.
You don’t realize this likely because you browse using a mobile app and imagine that reddit is something other than just a website that can be treated and linked to like any other website.
The image provider of Reddit doesn’t hide images behind an API or any authorization layer. It’s basically free especially if the Lemmy instance has a flat fee for bandwidth usage
APIs can be used to fetch specific data. A link to an image is literally just a link to an image, the server isn’t having to gather the data to send like an API would.
The thumbnail, which I didn’t bother to check until a few minutes ago, offered the impression that Lemmy fetches data differently. It’s not a thumbnail, it’s the full size image. Every comment here has fleshed out my understanding a bit more. Thank you.
Iunno, I’m not a web dev. Reddit created its video and image hosting services to avoid fees associated with linking content from elsewhere. When you click a link, the site you came from is listed as the referrer. Past that, your question is essentially mine.
Its not pedantry, its just not how things work. When you load the link its the same as if you went to reddit manually and browsed to the image. The instance having a link to reddit doesn’t mean reddit can charge the instance money now. That makes no sense.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t direct linking to an image on Reddit cost your lemmy instance a fair sum of money?
You are wrong.
Any chance you can expand on that slightly? I’m fine being wrong, but this doesn’t offer much information.
Just linking to rxxxit doesn’t require the API, so no API costs.
There is no flood warning because the individual lemmy user viewing the linked content uses their own IP address.
i.reddit is a web server just like any other and if you have a link to a file there, and it is not otherwise secured, you can embed a link or reference to it in any HTML.
You don’t realize this likely because you browse using a mobile app and imagine that reddit is something other than just a website that can be treated and linked to like any other website.
The image provider of Reddit doesn’t hide images behind an API or any authorization layer. It’s basically free especially if the Lemmy instance has a flat fee for bandwidth usage
That’s a surprise, considering Reddit’s whole API meltdown. I appreciate the answer.
APIs can be used to fetch specific data. A link to an image is literally just a link to an image, the server isn’t having to gather the data to send like an API would.
The thumbnail, which I didn’t bother to check until a few minutes ago, offered the impression that Lemmy fetches data differently. It’s not a thumbnail, it’s the full size image. Every comment here has fleshed out my understanding a bit more. Thank you.
How would that work?
Iunno, I’m not a web dev. Reddit created its video and image hosting services to avoid fees associated with linking content from elsewhere. When you click a link, the site you came from is listed as the referrer. Past that, your question is essentially mine.
thats not how the internet works.
If users aren’t loading the linked content then maybe, but that’s just pedantry.
Its not pedantry, its just not how things work. When you load the link its the same as if you went to reddit manually and browsed to the image. The instance having a link to reddit doesn’t mean reddit can charge the instance money now. That makes no sense.