# pmaw

> multithread Pushshift.io API Wrapper for Reddit comment and submission searches

**Wikidata**: [Q116701969](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116701969)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pmaw

## Summary
Pmaw is a multithreaded software wrapper for the Pushshift.io API, designed to facilitate the search of Reddit comments and submissions. Written in Python, it operates as a non-tangible executable component that enables users to retrieve data efficiently. The tool is also known by the alias "Pushshift Multithread API Wrapper."

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** Software (non-tangible executable component).
- **Primary Function:** Serves as a multithreaded wrapper for the Pushshift.io API, specifically for Reddit comment and submission searches.
- **Programming Language:** Python.
- **License:** MIT License.
- **Latest Version:** 3.0.0 (released December 24, 2022).
- **Initial Release:** Version 0.0.2 (released January 23, 2021).
- **Alias:** Pushshift Multithread API Wrapper.
- **Source Repository:** Hosted on GitHub at `https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw`.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary purpose of pmaw?
A: Pmaw is designed to interact with the Pushshift.io API to search for and retrieve Reddit comments and submissions. It utilizes multithreading to manage these data requests.

### Q: What programming language is pmaw written in?
A: Pmaw is written in Python, a general-purpose programming language.

### Q: Under which license is pmaw distributed?
A: Pmaw is distributed under the MIT License.

## Why It Matters
Pmaw addresses a specific technical need within the data science and digital humanities communities: the efficient retrieval of historical Reddit data. By wrapping the Pushshift.io API in a Python library, it lowers the barrier to entry for researchers and developers who wish to analyze social media trends without building custom API integration code from scratch. The inclusion of "multithread" in its description signifies a focus on performance, allowing for faster data acquisition compared to single-threaded alternatives. Its development trajectory—from an initial version in early 2021 to a major 3.0.0 release in late 2022—demonstrates active maintenance and responsiveness to the evolving needs of users accessing large-scale web archives.

## Notable For
- **Multithreaded Data Access:** Distinct from basic API wrappers, it utilizes multithreading to handle requests for Reddit comments and submissions.
- **Python Integration:** Provides a tool specifically for the Python ecosystem, widely used in data analysis.
- **Rapid Development Cycle:** Released nine distinct versions between January 2021 and April 2021, indicating significant early-stage iteration.
- **Open Source Accessibility:** Available under the permissive MIT License, encouraging broad adoption and modification.

## Body
### Technical Classification
Pmaw is classified as software and serves as an executable component within a computer system. It functions as a specialized tool within the Python programming environment, which is a general-purpose language utilized for various software development tasks.

### Core Functionality
The tool operates as an API wrapper for Pushshift.io. Its specific domain is the search and retrieval of Reddit data, categorically separated into comments and submissions. The architecture is designed to be "multithread," a property that implies the capacity to process multiple operations or requests simultaneously.

### Version History and Timeline
The development of pmaw shows a distinct timeline of releases starting in 2021 and concluding with its latest recorded version in 2022.

**Early Development (2021)**
- **v0.0.2:** The earliest recorded version was released on January 23, 2021.
- **v0.1.1 to v0.1.3:** Rapid updates followed in February 2021, with releases on the 6th, 7th, and 9th of the month.
- **v1.0.x Series:** The software reached version 1.0.0 on February 14, 2021. Subsequent patches (1.0.1, 1.0.2, 1.0.3) were released immediately after, between February 16 and February 19, 2021.
- **v1.0.5:** A further update was recorded on April 21, 2021.

**Current State (2022)**
- **v3.0.0:** The most recent and preferred version listed is 3.0.0, published on December 24, 2022.

### Repository and Licensing
The source code for pmaw is maintained in a repository located at `https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw`. The project utilizes the MIT License, a permissive free software license that allows for reuse with very few restrictions.

## References

1. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/mattpodolak/pmaw)
2. [Source](https://pypi.org/project/pmaw/#history)
3. [Release 0.0.2. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v0.0.2)
4. [Release 0.1.1. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v0.1.1)
5. [Release 0.1.2. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v0.1.2)
6. [Release 0.1.3. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v0.1.3)
7. [Release 1.0.0. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v1.0.0)
8. [Release 1.0.1. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v1.0.1)
9. [Release 1.0.2. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v1.0.2)
10. [Release 1.0.3. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v1.0.3)
11. [Release 1.0.5. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v1.0.5)
12. [Release 1.1.0. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v1.1.0)
13. [Release 2.0.0. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v2.0.0)
14. [Release 2.1.0. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v2.1.0)
15. [Release 2.1.1. 2021](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v2.1.1)
16. [Release 2.1.2. 2022](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v2.1.2)
17. [Release 2.1.3. 2022](https://github.com/mattpodolak/pmaw/releases/tag/v2.1.3)