# CRAN R Package Scraper (`crawlerbros/cran-scraper`) Actor Scrapes R package metadata from the CRAN database (crandb.r-pkg.org). Search packages by query, fetch by name, or list recent releases. - **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/cran-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $3.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. 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.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.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/platform/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 ## CRAN R Package Scraper Scrape R package metadata from the CRAN (Comprehensive R Archive Network) database. Extract package titles, descriptions, authors, license info, dependencies, and more from **crandb.r-pkg.org** — no API key required. ### What does it do? - **Search packages** by name or keyword — find all packages matching "ggplot", "tidyverse", etc. - **Fetch by name** — retrieve full metadata for specific known packages - **List recent releases** — monitor the latest packages added to CRAN ### Input | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `mode` | select | `searchPackages`, `getByName`, or `listRecent` | | `searchQuery` | string | Keyword to filter packages (for `searchPackages` mode) | | `packageNames` | array | Exact package names to fetch (for `getByName` mode) | | `maxItems` | integer | Max results (1–1000, default 50) | #### Example inputs **Search for ggplot-related packages:** ```json { "mode": "searchPackages", "searchQuery": "ggplot", "maxItems": 20 } ```` **Fetch specific packages:** ```json { "mode": "getByName", "packageNames": ["ggplot2", "dplyr", "tidyr", "purrr"], "maxItems": 10 } ``` **List 30 recent releases:** ```json { "mode": "listRecent", "maxItems": 30 } ``` ### Output Each record contains: | Field | Description | |---|---| | `packageName` | CRAN package name | | `title` | Short human-readable title | | `description` | Full package description | | `version` | Latest version string | | `author` | Package author(s) | | `maintainer` | Current maintainer with email | | `license` | License type (e.g. MIT, GPL-2) | | `url` | Package homepage | | `bugReports` | Issue tracker URL | | `depends` | Required package dependencies (list) | | `imports` | Imported packages (list) | | `suggests` | Suggested packages (list) | | `publishedDate` | Publication date | | `cranUrl` | CRAN package page URL | | `sourceUrl` | Same as cranUrl | | `recordType` | Always `"package"` | | `scrapedAt` | ISO 8601 timestamp | #### Example output record ```json { "packageName": "ggplot2", "title": "Create Elegant Data Visualisations Using the Grammar of Graphics", "description": "A system for declaratively creating graphics...", "version": "3.5.1", "author": "Hadley Wickham [aut], ...", "maintainer": "Thomas Lin Pedersen ", "license": "MIT + file LICENSE", "url": "https://ggplot2.tidyverse.org", "bugReports": "https://github.com/tidyverse/ggplot2/issues", "depends": ["R"], "imports": ["cli", "glue", "gtable", "rlang", "scales"], "publishedDate": "2024-04-23 08:30:00 UTC", "cranUrl": "https://cran.r-project.org/package=ggplot2", "sourceUrl": "https://cran.r-project.org/package=ggplot2", "recordType": "package", "scrapedAt": "2025-01-01T00:00:00+00:00" } ``` ### FAQs **Do I need an API key?** No. The CRAN database at crandb.r-pkg.org is a public API with no authentication required. **Is there a rate limit?** The actor uses concurrent fetching with a built-in concurrency limit to be respectful of the API. **How many packages are on CRAN?** CRAN hosts over 20,000 R packages. The `searchPackages` mode filters these by name/description to find relevant ones. **Why does `searchPackages` search by name?** Client-side filtering of package names is fast and reliable. The `/-/desc` endpoint is used when available for broader description-based search. **Can I get all packages?** Use `listRecent` with `maxItems=1000` to get the most recently published packages. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): Scraping mode: searchPackages (search by query), getByName (fetch specific packages), or listRecent (recent releases). ## `searchQuery` (type: `string`): Filter packages by name or title (case-insensitive substring match). Used in searchPackages mode. ## `packageNames` (type: `array`): List of exact CRAN package names to fetch. Used in getByName mode. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of packages to return. ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "searchPackages", "searchQuery": "ggplot", "maxItems": 10 } ``` # 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 = { "mode": "searchPackages", "searchQuery": "ggplot", "maxItems": 10 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/cran-scraper").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 = { "mode": "searchPackages", "searchQuery": "ggplot", "maxItems": 10, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("crawlerbros/cran-scraper").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 '{ "mode": "searchPackages", "searchQuery": "ggplot", "maxItems": 10 }' | apify call crawlerbros/cran-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlerbros/cran-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "CRAN R Package Scraper", "description": "Scrapes R package metadata from the CRAN database (crandb.r-pkg.org). Search packages by query, fetch by name, or list recent releases.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "cTZvvnJdPSyFAMcM5" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/crawlerbros~cran-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-crawlerbros-cran-scraper", "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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~cran-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-crawlerbros-cran-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~cran-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-crawlerbros-cran-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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", "required": [ "mode" ], "properties": { "mode": { "title": "Mode", "enum": [ "searchPackages", "getByName", "listRecent" ], "type": "string", "description": "Scraping mode: searchPackages (search by query), getByName (fetch specific packages), or listRecent (recent releases).", "default": "searchPackages" }, "searchQuery": { "title": "Search Query", "type": "string", "description": "Filter packages by name or title (case-insensitive substring match). Used in searchPackages mode." }, "packageNames": { "title": "Package Names", "type": "array", "description": "List of exact CRAN package names to fetch. Used in getByName mode.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max Items", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 1000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of packages to return.", "default": 100 } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```