# Hex.pm Package Scraper (`crawlerbros/hex-pm-scraper`) Actor Scrape Hex.pm - the package manager for Erlang/Elixir. Search packages or fetch by name. Returns downloads, versions, owners, licenses, and repository links. - **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/hex-pm-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools, Integrations - **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 ## Hex.pm Package Scraper Scrape package data from [Hex.pm](https://hex.pm) — the package manager for the Erlang ecosystem (Elixir, Erlang, Gleam, and more). This actor uses the official public Hex.pm REST API with no authentication required. ### What can it do? - **Search packages** by keyword with configurable sort order (recent downloads, total downloads, alphabetical, etc.) - **Fetch specific packages** by exact name (e.g. `phoenix`, `ecto`, `jason`) - Returns rich metadata: download statistics, versions, owners, licenses, repository links, and more ### Input | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `mode` | `searchPackages` \| `getByName` | Operation mode. Default: `searchPackages` | | `searchQuery` | string | Free-text search query. Default: `phoenix` | | `packageNames` | string[] | Exact package names for `getByName` mode | | `sort` | enum | Sort order for search results. Default: `recent_downloads` | | `maxItems` | integer (1–500) | Maximum packages to return. Default: 50 | #### Sort options | Value | Title | |-------|-------| | `recent_downloads` | Recent downloads | | `total_downloads` | Total downloads | | `inserted_at` | Newest packages | | `updated_at` | Recently updated | | `name` | Alphabetical name | #### Example input — Search ```json { "mode": "searchPackages", "searchQuery": "phoenix", "sort": "recent_downloads", "maxItems": 50 } ```` #### Example input — Fetch by name ```json { "mode": "getByName", "packageNames": ["phoenix", "ecto", "jason"] } ``` ### Output Each record in the dataset represents one Hex.pm package. | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `packageName` | string | Package name on Hex.pm | | `description` | string | Package description | | `licenses` | string\[] | List of SPDX license identifiers | | `links` | object | Links from package metadata (GitHub, Changelog, etc.) | | `totalDownloads` | integer | All-time download count | | `recentDownloads` | integer | Downloads in the last 90 days | | `weeklyDownloads` | integer | Downloads in the last 7 days | | `insertedAt` | string | ISO timestamp when package was first published | | `updatedAt` | string | ISO timestamp of latest update | | `latestVersion` | string | Latest stable version (falls back to latest pre-release) | | `owners` | string\[] | Package owner usernames | | `repositoryUrl` | string | Source repository URL (GitHub, GitLab, etc.) | | `sourceUrl` | string | Hex.pm package page URL | | `recordType` | string | Always `"package"` | | `scrapedAt` | string | ISO timestamp when record was scraped | #### Example output record ```json { "packageName": "phoenix", "description": "Peace of mind from prototype to production", "licenses": ["MIT"], "links": { "GitHub": "https://github.com/phoenixframework/phoenix", "Changelog": "https://github.com/phoenixframework/phoenix/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md" }, "totalDownloads": 156000000, "recentDownloads": 4200000, "weeklyDownloads": 380000, "insertedAt": "2014-01-30T00:00:00Z", "updatedAt": "2025-05-01T12:00:00Z", "latestVersion": "1.7.14", "owners": ["chrismccord"], "repositoryUrl": "https://github.com/phoenixframework/phoenix", "sourceUrl": "https://hex.pm/packages/phoenix", "recordType": "package", "scrapedAt": "2025-05-30T10:00:00+00:00" } ``` ### Frequently Asked Questions **Does this require an API key?** No. The Hex.pm API is fully public and does not require authentication. **Can I get all packages on Hex.pm?** Yes — leave `searchQuery` empty and use `sort=recent_downloads` with a high `maxItems`. The API paginates automatically. **What is the difference between `recent_downloads` and `total_downloads`?** `recent_downloads` covers the last 90 days; `total_downloads` is the all-time count. Both are available in the output. **What ecosystems does Hex.pm cover?** Hex.pm hosts packages for Elixir, Erlang, and Gleam — all languages that run on the BEAM virtual machine. **How often is the data updated?** Hex.pm data is live — each run fetches real-time data from the official API. **Can I search for multiple queries in one run?** Each run supports one search query. To scrape multiple queries, run the actor multiple times or use `getByName` mode with a list of package names. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): Operation mode: search packages or fetch by exact name. ## `searchQuery` (type: `string`): Free-text query for package search (mode=searchPackages). ## `packageNames` (type: `array`): Exact Hex.pm package names to fetch (e.g. phoenix, ecto, jason). ## `sort` (type: `string`): Sort search results by this criterion. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of packages to return. ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "searchPackages", "searchQuery": "phoenix", "sort": "recent_downloads", "maxItems": 10 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `packages` (type: `string`): Dataset containing all scraped Hex.pm packages. # 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": "phoenix", "sort": "recent_downloads", "maxItems": 10 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/hex-pm-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": "phoenix", "sort": "recent_downloads", "maxItems": 10, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("crawlerbros/hex-pm-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": "phoenix", "sort": "recent_downloads", "maxItems": 10 }' | apify call crawlerbros/hex-pm-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlerbros/hex-pm-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Hex.pm Package Scraper", "description": "Scrape Hex.pm - the package manager for Erlang/Elixir. Search packages or fetch by name. Returns downloads, versions, owners, licenses, and repository links.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "mBDFjURLZdhxtK5kI" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/crawlerbros~hex-pm-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-crawlerbros-hex-pm-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~hex-pm-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-crawlerbros-hex-pm-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~hex-pm-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-crawlerbros-hex-pm-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" ], "type": "string", "description": "Operation mode: search packages or fetch by exact name.", "default": "searchPackages" }, "searchQuery": { "title": "Search query", "type": "string", "description": "Free-text query for package search (mode=searchPackages)." }, "packageNames": { "title": "Package names (mode=getByName)", "type": "array", "description": "Exact Hex.pm package names to fetch (e.g. phoenix, ecto, jason).", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "sort": { "title": "Sort order", "enum": [ "recent_downloads", "total_downloads", "inserted_at", "updated_at", "name" ], "type": "string", "description": "Sort search results by this criterion.", "default": "recent_downloads" }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max items", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 500, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```