ep_pads_api

A clean JSON API for Etherpad that answers something the built-in HTTP API cannot: which pads exist, who created each one, and when it was last edited.

It returns data only — no UI. Build your own dashboard, landing page or site against it.

Companion plugins (each does one thing):

• ep_pads_view — a ready-made HTML page on top of this API, if you don't want to write a frontend.
• ep_current_user — a whoami endpoint for the current logged-in user.

Endpoints

Default prefix is /pads-api (configurable, see below).

GET /pads-api/pads

{
  "pads": [
    { "id": "Team-Notes", "lastEdited": "2026-06-15", "lastEditedTs": 1750000000000, "creator": "Ivan Forkaliuk" },
    { "id": "Sprint-Plan", "lastEdited": "2026-05-02", "lastEditedTs": 1746100000000, "creator": null }
  ]
}

• creator is the author of the pad's first revision; null for anonymous.
• lastEdited is an ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD) for display; null if unknown.
• lastEditedTs is the full last-edit timestamp in epoch milliseconds (for precise sorting); null if unknown.

Why this exists (vs the built-in API)

Etherpad's official /api/1/... has no method for the creator (author of revision 0) — only listAuthorsOfPad, which returns everyone who ever edited the pad, with no way to tell who created it.

ep_pads_api runs inside Etherpad and reads this via the official managers (PadManager, AuthorManager, DB), so you don't need direct database access from your own app.

Configuration

All optional. In settings.json:

"ep_pads_api": {
  "requireAuth": true,
  "basePath": "/pads-api"
}

| Option | Default | Meaning | |---------------|--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | requireAuth | true | Only logged-in users may call the endpoints. Set false to open them. | | basePath | /pads-api | URL prefix for the endpoints. |

Requirements

• Etherpad (ep_etherpad-lite) — no other plugin is required.
• With the default requireAuth: true, callers must be logged in, so you need an authentication method (e.g. ep_openid_connect); set requireAuth: false to leave the endpoints open.

Install

cd /path/to/etherpad
pnpm run plugins i ep_pads_api

Notes

• listAllPads() scans all pads on each /pads call. For very large instances consider putting a short-lived cache in front (planned).
• License: Apache-2.0.