How to Monitor and Check if Your Website is Blocked in China Using Python and cURL

As a publisher whose user base includes readers in China, ensuring that your website is accessible behind the Great Firewall (GFW) is crucial. Using a China website blocking checker or GFW blocking checker can help you monitor and ensure website accessibility in China. With the "China Connectivity and GFW Blocking Checker (Multi-metric)" API, you can test your website's connectivity from within China, assess if it's blocked by the GFW, and evaluate connection quality. This API, available through RapidAPI, provides critical metrics for understanding how your site performs in a censored environment. Whether you're concerned about China internet censorship, seeking a Python API for GFW testing, or need a reliable China web access checker, this guide will walk you through the process. Learn how to implement this API using Python and cURL, monitor your website's availability in China, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise due to China's internet restrictions.

API Overview and Background

The China Connectivity and GFW Blocking Checker (Multi-metric) API is designed to help publishers like you monitor and ensure that your website is accessible in China. The API performs tests from a node within Shanghai, China, to see if your website is blocked by the GFW and provides detailed metrics on connection quality, including DNS resolution time, connection time, download speed, and total load time. You can find and subscribe to this API on RapidAPI at China Connectivity and GFW Blocking Checker (Multi-metric) API.

Getting Started with the API on RapidAPI

Before using the API, follow these steps:

Sign Up on RapidAPI: Create an account on RapidAPI.
Find the API: Visit the API page and subscribe to it. Choose a suitable plan based on your needs.
Get Your API Key: After subscribing, you'll receive an API key, which will be used to authenticate your requests.

Implementing the API in Python

Below is a Python example to check if your website is blocked in China:

Step 1: Install Required Libraries

Install the requests library if you haven't already:

pip install requests

Step 2: Write the Python Script

Here's a Python script to check website accessibility in China:

import requests

# Define the API endpoint and parameters
api_url = "https://china-connectivity-and-gfw-blocking-checker-multi-metric.p.rapidapi.com/"
querystring = {"url": "https://microsoft.com"}

# Set the headers including the RapidAPI key
headers = {
    "x-rapidapi-host": "china-connectivity-and-gfw-blocking-checker-multi-metric.p.rapidapi.com",
    "x-rapidapi-key": "YOUR_RAPIDAPI_KEY"
}

# Make the request to the API
response = requests.get(api_url, headers=headers, params=querystring)

# Check if the request was successful
if response.status_code == 200:
    results = response.json()
    for result in results:
        print(f"Node: {result['node_name']}")
        print(f"Host: {result['host']}")
        print(f"HTTP Code: {result['http_code']}")
        print(f"Connection Time: {result['time_connect']}s")
        print(f"Total Time: {result['time_total']}s")
        print(f"Download Speed: {result['speed_download']} bytes/s")
        print(f"Blocked: {'Yes' if result['http_code'] == 0 else 'No'}")
        print("-" * 40)
else:
    print(f"Error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}")

Replace "YOUR_RAPIDAPI_KEY" with the API key from RapidAPI.

Step 3: Run the Script

Save the script and run it:

python check_gfw_blocking.py

Using cURL for API Requests

Alternatively, you can use cURL to check your website's availability:

curl --request GET \
    --url 'https://china-connectivity-and-gfw-blocking-checker-multi-metric.p.rapidapi.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmicrosoft.com' \
    --header 'x-rapidapi-host: china-connectivity-and-gfw-blocking-checker-multi-metric.p.rapidapi.com' \
    --header 'x-rapidapi-key: YOUR_RAPIDAPI_KEY'

Use Cases

Here are some scenarios where this API can be beneficial:

Website Monitoring for China: Ensure your website remains accessible in China by continuously monitoring its status.
Diagnosing Access Issues: If your Chinese users report access problems, use this API to diagnose potential GFW blocks or connectivity issues.
SEO and Compliance: Verify that your content is not inadvertently blocked and is accessible to Chinese users, which can be vital for SEO and regulatory compliance.

Terms of Use

Use this API at your own risk. The service is provided "as-is" without warranties, and no guarantee is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the results. Abuse, including excessive or malicious use, is prohibited and may result in access suspension.

Conclusion

Ensuring your website’s availability in China is essential for reaching a global audience. The "China Connectivity and GFW Blocking Checker (Multi-metric)" API provides a reliable way to monitor your site’s accessibility from within China. By integrating this API into your Python scripts or using cURL, you can proactively check whether your site is blocked by the GFW and understand the quality of connectivity for your Chinese users.

How to Monitor and Check if Your Website is Blocked in China Using Python and cURL