# GitHub Releases Delta Monitor (`collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor`) Actor

Monitors public GitHub repos for new releases via the official REST API and emits only deltas. First run baselines without charging. PPE event: release-delta.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor.md
- **Developed by:** [Collin Reynolds](https://apify.com/collinjreynolds) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, AI
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.00 / 1,000 new github releases

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/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
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.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — 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

## GitHub Releases Delta Monitor

Watch public GitHub repositories for **new releases** via the official REST API. Only **deltas** since the last run are written to the dataset — ideal for scheduled monitoring, changelogs, and security/ops alerts.

**Pricing (pay per event):** charged mainly for each **new GitHub release** detected (`release-delta`). First run baselines quietly (0 dataset items / 0 delta charges) so you are not billed for history.

Store page: [apify.com/collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor](https://apify.com/collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor)

### Why use this

- **API-only** — no HTML scraping of github.com (ToS-friendly)
- **Delta-only** — subsequent runs emit new/changed releases only
- **First-run safe** — empty state seeds `LAST_SEEN` with zero PPE delta charges
- **Optional GitHub token** — higher rate limits; public repos work without one
- **Schedule-friendly** — pair with an Apify schedule for continuous monitoring

### Input

| Field | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| `repos` | yes | List of `owner/repo` strings |
| `githubToken` | no | PAT / fine-grained token (secret) for rate limits or private repos |
| `sinceTag` | no | On first run for a repo, treat this tag and older as already seen |
| `maxPages` | no | Max release API pages per repo (default 2) |
| `includePrereleases` | no | Include prereleases (default true) |
| `resetState` | no | Clear `LAST_SEEN` and re-baseline (0 emits that run) |

#### Example

```json
{
  "repos": ["cli/cli", "apify/apify-sdk-python"],
  "maxPages": 2,
  "includePrereleases": true,
  "resetState": false
}
```

### Output

Each dataset item is a newly detected release, for example:

- `repo`, `tag`, `name`, `published_at`, `html_url`, `is_prerelease`, `release_id`

### First-run behavior

| Situation | Dataset items | `release-delta` charges |
|-----------|---------------|-------------------------|
| Empty state, no `sinceTag` | **0** | **0** (baseline only) |
| Empty state + `sinceTag` | Only newer than that tag | 1 per item |
| Later runs | New release IDs/tags only | 1 per item |

### Tips

1. Run once to baseline, then attach a **schedule** (e.g. hourly/daily).
2. Add a `githubToken` if you monitor many repos (GitHub unauthenticated rate limits are low).
3. Set a user **max total charge** on the run so costs stay predictable.

### ToS / scope

Uses GitHub’s public REST API only. See [AGREEMENT.md](./AGREEMENT.md). Respect GitHub rate limits and terms.

# Actor input Schema

## `repos` (type: `array`):

List of public GitHub repositories as owner/repo strings.

## `githubToken` (type: `string`):

Optional personal access token for higher rate limits or private repos. Never hardcoded; supply via Actor input/secret. Public repos work without a token (subject to GitHub unauthenticated rate limits).

## `sinceTag` (type: `string`):

If set and no LAST\_SEEN snapshot exists for a repo, treat this tag (and older) as already seen so only newer releases are emitted.

## `maxPages` (type: `integer`):

Light pagination cap for GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/releases (30 items/page).

## `includePrereleases` (type: `boolean`):

If false, skip releases marked as prerelease.

## `resetState` (type: `boolean`):

If true, ignore and clear the stored LAST\_SEEN fingerprint map before this run.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "repos": [
    "cli/cli",
    "apify/apify-sdk-python"
  ],
  "maxPages": 2,
  "includePrereleases": true,
  "resetState": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

Dataset items for newly detected releases (repo, tag, name, published\_at, html\_url, etc.). First run baselines with 0 items.

# 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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "repos": [
        "cli/cli",
        "apify/apify-sdk-python"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor").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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "repos": [
        "cli/cli",
        "apify/apify-sdk-python",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "repos": [
    "cli/cli",
    "apify/apify-sdk-python"
  ]
}' |
apify call collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,collinjreynolds/github-releases-delta-monitor"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/aYnZU4qxJ0oRRBvKN/builds/8t5vvfBlWYSF6LE73/openapi.json