12 min read·
Build a PHP Insight App: Astrology, Vedic, Tarot APIs
Build a PHP astrology, Vedic kundli, and tarot app with the new roxyapi/sdk Composer package. Laravel, Symfony, vanilla PHP, one API key.
Torsten Brinkmann
Astrologer & Developer Advocate
Germany
Torsten Brinkmann combines 16 years of Western astrology practice with a software engineering background, specializing in astrological calculation tools, birth chart APIs, and planetary aspect analysis. His Computer Science training shapes writing that addresses both the astronomical mathematics behind natal charts and the developer integration patterns for astrology APIs. He is currently writing a technical guide to birth chart calculation for developers.
Computer Science background16 years of practiceWriting a technical astrology guide
Western astrologyBirth chart analysisPlanetary aspectsSynastryForecastTransit forecastingHuman DesignBodygraph analysisAPI integrationAstrology software
57 articles published
Articles by Torsten Brinkmann
14 min read·
Astrology, Vedic, Tarot UI Component Library for React
Open source UI component library for astrology, Vedic, KP, tarot, numerology, human design, biorhythm, I Ching and more. 70+ components for React, Vue, Next.js, HTML.
9 min read·
MCP vs Function Calling vs LangChain: AI Agent Guide
Comparing MCP, OpenAI function calling, and LangChain tools for AI agents. Schema, transport, auth, and when to choose each. By RoxyAPI.
12 min read·
Birth-Time Rectification API: Handling 15 Minute Uncertainty
Sweep the natal endpoint across a plus or minus 15 minute window, separate stable features from collapsing ones, surface confidence by RoxyAPI.
12 min read·
Whole Sign Fallback at Polar Latitudes for Birth Chart APIs
Placidus and Koch fail above 66 degrees north. Here is what RoxyAPI returns at the cutoff and how to override to Whole Sign for traditional charts.
10 min read·
Retrograde Station Detection: Stationary Point Edge Cases
Why naive day-step retrograde detection misses planetary stations, and how to detect zero crossings of longitude velocity for the astrology API.
15 min read·
Timezone Bugs in Astrology: A Complete Developer Guide
Timezone bugs silently corrupt natal charts. DST ambiguity, historical offsets, IANA vs decimal inputs, and how to debug chart mismatches.
8 min read·
Build a Biorhythm App with Cursor and RoxyAPI in 30 Minutes
Build a working biorhythm app using Cursor and the RoxyAPI Biorhythm API. 10 cycles, editorial interpretations, zero domain knowledge required.
10 min read·
How Biorhythm Energy Ratings Work: The 1-10 Scale Explained
The biorhythm energy rating condenses three primary cycles into a 1-10 score. Learn how the scale works and how to display it.
10 min read·
VSOP87 vs JPL DE440: Which Planetary Ephemeris to Use
Compare VSOP87 and JPL DE440 planetary ephemeris models for accuracy, speed, and file size. Find out which fits your astrology app or astronomy project.
9 min read·
Planetary Aspect Calculation for Developers: Orbs and Edge Cases
How to calculate planetary aspects correctly. Covers orb systems, the 360 degree wrap-around bug, applying vs separating detection, and a working API example.
11 min read·
Placidus House Calculation for Developers: The Math
How Placidus house calculation works, the iterative algorithm behind house cusps, and why it breaks at extreme latitudes. Developer guide with working API example.