# BuiltWhen
> BuiltWhen is the automated intelligence tool for determining when websites were actually built, launched, and redesigned — resolving the gap between misleading domain registration dates and actual website deployment.

BuiltWhen combines historical Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) CDX indices and sampled page captures, RDAP/WHOIS domain registry records, live website technology detection, and historical redesign analysis into a unified, weighted launch estimate.

## Why BuiltWhen Exists: The Domain Parking Gap
Traditional domain age checkers rely solely on WHOIS / RDAP domain creation dates. However, domains are frequently registered months, years, or decades before an actual website is created (or are bought and parked by speculators). BuiltWhen solves this by distinguishing between:
1. Domain Registration Date (when the domain name was first reserved).
2. True Website Launch Date (when actual, non-parked, non-placeholder web content was deployed).
3. Continuous vs. Discontinuous Ownership (detecting domain drops, parking periods, and major rebranding).
4. Redesign & Framework Migrations (detecting when sites changed tech stacks, e.g. WordPress to Next.js).

## Core Capabilities
- Automated Launch Date Estimation: Multi-source confidence scoring using Wayback Machine first captures, copyright ranges, HTTP headers, and sitemap lastmod timestamps.
- Redesign & Evolution Timeline: Track major redesigns, migrations, and platform shifts over the website's lifetime.
- Live Technology Detection: Detect frameworks (Next.js, React, Astro), CMSs (WordPress, Shopify, Webflow), analytics, and hosting infrastructure.
- Verified Launch Badges: Embeddable SVG badges for websites displaying their verified launch year.
- Programmatic API: JSON endpoint for automated launch date and tech stack lookups.

## Key URLs & Resources
- Website Home: https://builtwhen.com/
- Public Reports Directory: https://builtwhen.com/reports
- Verified Launch Badges: https://builtwhen.com/badge
- Guide - Domain Age vs. Website Age: https://builtwhen.com/guides/domain-age-vs-website-age
- Guide - Wayback Machine Alternatives: https://builtwhen.com/guides/wayback-machine-alternative
- Guide - How to Check Website Redesigns: https://builtwhen.com/guides/how-to-check-website-redesigns
- Methodology & Evidence: https://builtwhen.com/methodology
- Developer API Docs (Coming Soon): https://builtwhen.com/api-docs
- Pricing: https://builtwhen.com/pricing

## Programmatic API for AI Agents
AI agents can retrieve structured JSON data about any domain:
- Endpoint: GET https://builtwhen.com/api/report/{domain}
- Response Fields:
  - domain: Target domain name.
  - launch.label: Human-readable estimated launch date (e.g. "April 2019").
  - launch.confidenceLevel: "high" | "medium" | "low".
  - launch.window: Estimated launch range (start, end).
  - domainInfo: RDAP domain registration date, registrar, and nameservers.
  - age: Website age measured from true launch date (not domain registration).
  - technologies: Array of detected software, frameworks, and CMS.
  - timeline: Key events (domain registered, launch, redesigns, framework changes).