# Stack Exchange Q\&A Scraper (`chrisp1211/stackexchange-scraper-max`) Actor Scrape questions from Stack Overflow and 170+ Stack Exchange sites by keyword or tag. Returns title, score, views, answers, tags and body. No API key. Pay only per question; empty or failed runs cost nothing. - **URL**: https://apify.com/chrisp1211/stackexchange-scraper-max.md - **Developed by:** [Christian Pichichero](https://apify.com/chrisp1211) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing $0.60 / 1,000 records This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Stack Exchange Q&A Scraper **Stack Exchange Q&A Scraper** — a fast, reliable stackexchange scraper that needs **no API key**. You pay only for the results you get: failed or empty runs are always free. This stackexchange scraper runs on the [Apify platform](https://apify.com), so you can call it from the API, run it on a schedule, or export results to JSON, CSV, Excel, or Google Sheets. ### What this scraper does - Extracts structured **stackexchange** data with no browser or API key required - Returns clean JSON, one record per result — ready for sheets, databases, or apps - Pay-per-result pricing: you are never charged for a run that returns nothing - Runs on demand or on a schedule, and integrates with 5,000+ apps via the Apify API and webhooks ### What data you get Each result record includes fields such as: - **Question Id** (`questionId`) — e.g. `37576685` - **Title** (`title`) — e.g. `"Using async/await with a forEach loop"` - **Link** (`link`) — e.g. `"https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37576685/using-async...` - **Url** (`url`) — e.g. `"https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37576685/using-async...` - **Score** (`score`) — e.g. `3352` - **View Count** (`viewCount`) — e.g. `2478502` - **Answer Count** (`answerCount`) — e.g. `35` - **Is Answered** (`isAnswered`) — e.g. `true` - **Accepted Answer Id** (`acceptedAnswerId`) — e.g. `37576787` - **Tags** (`tags`) — e.g. `["javascript", "node.js", "promise", "async-await", "ecma...` - **Creation Date** (`creationDate`) — e.g. `"2016-06-01T18:55:58+00:00"` - **Last Activity Date** (`lastActivityDate`) — e.g. `"2025-01-28T00:07:13+00:00"` - **Owner Name** (`ownerName`) — e.g. `"Saad"` - **Owner Reputation** (`ownerReputation`) — e.g. `55019` ### Input | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `searchTerms` | array | One or more full-text queries (the q= param). One task runs per term. | | `site` | string | API site slug: stackoverflow, superuser, serverfault, askubuntu, math, unix, apple, etc. | | `tagged` | string | Restrict to questions carrying ALL these tags. Semicolon-separated, e.g. python;pandas. | | `sort` | string | Result ordering (always descending). | | `maxResults` | integer | Stop after this many questions per search term. | | `apiKey` | string | Free registered key raises the daily quota from ~300 to 10,000 requests/day. Appended as &key=. | ### Example output ```json { "type": "question", "scrapedAt": "2026-07-11T00:00:00+00:00", "questionId": 37576685, "title": "Using async/await with a forEach loop", "link": "https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37576685/using-async-await-with-a-foreach-loop", "url": "https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37576685/using-async-await-with-a-foreach-loop", "score": 3352, "viewCount": 2478502, "answerCount": 35, "isAnswered": true, "acceptedAnswerId": 37576787, "tags": [ "javascript", "node.js", "promise", "async-await", "ecmascript-2017" ], "creationDate": "2016-06-01T18:55:58+00:00", "lastActivityDate": "2025-01-28T00:07:13+00:00", "ownerName": "Saad", "ownerReputation": 55019, "ownerLink": "https://stackoverflow.com/users/3533365/saad", "contentLicense": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "bodyText": "Are there any issues with using async/await in a forEach loop?\n\nimport fs from 'fs-promise'", "query": "async" } ```` ### Use cases - Monitor packages, repos, and dependencies - Automate security and license audits - Build developer dashboards and alerts - Enrich internal tools and integrations ### Pricing This actor uses **pay-per-result** pricing at **$0.0006 per record**. There is no monthly fee and no start fee — and **empty or failed runs cost $0**, so you only ever pay for data you actually receive. ### Frequently asked questions **Do I need an API key or account for the source?** No. This stackexchange scraper works out of the box with no API key required. **What happens if a run returns no results?** You are not charged. Billing is per result, so empty or failed runs are free. **Can I run the stackexchange scraper on a schedule?** Yes. Use the Apify Scheduler to run it hourly, daily, or on any cron schedule, and get results by webhook or API. **What export formats are supported?** Results can be exported as JSON, CSV, Excel, HTML, or pushed to Google Sheets, a database, or your own app via the Apify API. **Is the data structured?** Yes. Every stackexchange result is a clean, flat JSON record you can use immediately. # Actor input Schema ## `searchTerms` (type: `array`): One or more full-text queries (the q= param). One task runs per term. ## `site` (type: `string`): API site slug: stackoverflow, superuser, serverfault, askubuntu, math, unix, apple, etc. ## `tagged` (type: `string`): Restrict to questions carrying ALL these tags. Semicolon-separated, e.g. python;pandas. ## `sort` (type: `string`): Result ordering (always descending). ## `maxResults` (type: `integer`): Stop after this many questions per search term. ## `apiKey` (type: `string`): Free registered key raises the daily quota from ~300 to 10,000 requests/day. Appended as \&key=. ## `maxCostUsd` (type: `integer`): HARD budget cap. The run stops cleanly before exceeding this. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): This is an open API; no proxy needed. Default is fine. ## Actor input object example ```json { "searchTerms": [ "async await" ], "site": "stackoverflow", "tagged": "", "sort": "votes", "maxResults": 50, "apiKey": "", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "searchTerms": [ "async await" ], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("chrisp1211/stackexchange-scraper-max").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "searchTerms": ["async await"], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": False }, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("chrisp1211/stackexchange-scraper-max").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "searchTerms": [ "async await" ], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } }' | apify call chrisp1211/stackexchange-scraper-max --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=chrisp1211/stackexchange-scraper-max", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Stack Exchange Q&A Scraper", "description": "Scrape questions from Stack Overflow and 170+ Stack Exchange sites by keyword or tag. Returns title, score, views, answers, tags and body. No API key. Pay only per question; empty or failed runs cost nothing.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "dvDUVFYlr4Ju4KkVQ" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/chrisp1211~stackexchange-scraper-max/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-chrisp1211-stackexchange-scraper-max", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/chrisp1211~stackexchange-scraper-max/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-chrisp1211-stackexchange-scraper-max", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/chrisp1211~stackexchange-scraper-max/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-chrisp1211-stackexchange-scraper-max", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "searchTerms": { "title": "Search Terms", "type": "array", "description": "One or more full-text queries (the q= param). One task runs per term.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "site": { "title": "Stack Exchange Site", "type": "string", "description": "API site slug: stackoverflow, superuser, serverfault, askubuntu, math, unix, apple, etc.", "default": "stackoverflow" }, "tagged": { "title": "Tagged (optional)", "type": "string", "description": "Restrict to questions carrying ALL these tags. Semicolon-separated, e.g. python;pandas.", "default": "" }, "sort": { "title": "Sort By", "enum": [ "votes", "relevance", "activity", "creation" ], "type": "string", "description": "Result ordering (always descending).", "default": "votes" }, "maxResults": { "title": "Max Results Per Term", "minimum": 1, "type": "integer", "description": "Stop after this many questions per search term.", "default": 50 }, "apiKey": { "title": "Stack Exchange API Key (optional)", "type": "string", "description": "Free registered key raises the daily quota from ~300 to 10,000 requests/day. Appended as &key=.", "default": "" }, "maxCostUsd": { "title": "Max cost per run (USD)", "minimum": 1, "type": "integer", "description": "HARD budget cap. The run stops cleanly before exceeding this." }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy", "type": "object", "description": "This is an open API; no proxy needed. Default is fine.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": false } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```