Check if twitter username exists

Question

Is there a way to check if a twitter username exists? Without being authenticated with OAuth or the twitter basic authentication?

Answer 1

You can also use the API with username :

eg : http://api.twitter.com/1/users/show.xml?screen_name=tarnfeld

Will give you :

  ...................
  tarnfeld
  Portsmouth, UK
  .................
  

Or if not exist :

  /1/users/show.xml?screen_name=tarnfeldezf
  Not found