Where to start with Google Reader as an API?

I want to build a widget for WordPress that simultaneously displays my latest Google Reader items on the front page and allows for management from behind the WordPress dashboard. I can already add my "shared" items using code I've found in various Google searches, but that's not exactly what I'm looking for.

I like the functionality of the Google Reader widget in iGoogle, and I want to replicate that on the WordPress dashboard and build a read-only version for the WordPress front-end. Where do I start in the API (public or 'unofficial') to get this built?

-- Update --

I've found some limited documentation regarding authentication protocols, but I've been unable to implement anything. I can parse a URL to authenticate and get an SSID that works when directly placed in a browser, but both GET and POST requests fail via PHP, so I can't get any further than that.

-- Update --

I've converted the first few steps of Martin Doms' C# tutorial into PHP for anyone who's interested in doing this on their own site.

I actually started with that tutorial. And the problem with PHP isn't actually a problem with PHP ... it's a problem with authentication in general (possibly from my domain, but I'm not sure ...)I ported the C# code to PHP, and the issue occurs in the getSID() function. I can use the parsed URL (https://www.google.com/accounts...) directly in a web browser to return an SID and LSID, but both POST and GET requests via PHP throw an HTTP security violation.

EAMann 2010-05-17 20:25:41

How are you doing those POST and GET from PHP? Using cURL function to do a GET should work just fine (http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.curl-exec.php). If you're still having problems, posting your current code may help.

Seb 2010-05-17 20:40:37

I'll try again with cURL and let you know what happens.

EAMann 2010-05-17 21:01:17

cURL ended up being the magic that did the trick. After I was able to get the SID, the hardest step was passing a cookie in the GET request to return an auth token. Now everything's working beautifully, though. Thanks!

EAMann 2010-05-18 01:59:21

Glad I could help! Don't forget to mark this answer as correct when you have the time ;)

Seb 2010-05-18 03:20:12

I will ... it keeps telling me I have to wait. Right now it's down to 1 hour, so you'll have your bounty soon enough :-)

EAMann 2010-05-18 14:30:33

Oh, forgot this one was a bounty one! Better yet! :) I always ask to mark as correct if they don't do it, so others can know which answer is *the* one pretty quickly.

Seb 2010-05-18 14:35:51

I've also added a PHP version of Martin Doms' tutorial on my own site: http://mindsharestrategy.com/google-reader-api-a-brief-tutorial/

EAMann 2010-05-21 15:17:39

The site went dead.. Anyone knows where can i find this tut (i'm more of a c# guy :) thanks.

Nimrod Shory 2010-08-29 09:47:10

Here's another C# tutorial explaining the same process: http://sandrinodimattia.net/blog/post/Consuming-Google-(Reader)-with-NET-Part-1-Authentication.aspx

EAMann 2010-09-03 01:49:02

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Where to start with Google Reader as an API?

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