# Lobsters Scraper (`crawlerbros/lobsters-scraper`) Actor Scrape Lobsters (lobste.rs) â€" a curated tech link aggregator. Fetch hottest, newest, or tag-filtered stories with scores, comments, tags, and author info. No authentication required. - **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/lobsters-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community) - **Categories:** News, Developer tools, Social media - **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 ## Lobsters Scraper Scrape tech stories from [Lobsters (lobste.rs)](https://lobste.rs) — a curated computing-focused link aggregator trusted by developers worldwide. Extract hottest and newest stories, or browse by technology tag with full metadata including scores, comment counts, author info, and direct links. ### Features - **Multiple feed modes**: hottest stories, newest stories, or tag-filtered browsing - **25+ technology tags**: programming, python, javascript, security, linux, networking, databases, AI, devops, and more - **Full metadata**: story title, URL, score, flag count, comment count, tags, submitter username, and timestamps - **Pagination support**: automatically fetches multiple pages up to your maxItems limit - **No authentication required**: uses the public lobste.rs JSON API ### Use Cases - Monitor trending tech articles and discussions - Track community sentiment on specific technologies - Build developer-focused news aggregators - Research tech topics by community voting patterns - Competitive analysis of developer interest areas ### Input | Field | Type | Description | Default | |-------|------|-------------|---------| | `mode` | Select | Feed type: `hottest`, `newest`, or `byTag` | `hottest` | | `tag` | Select | Technology tag to browse (mode=byTag). Options: programming, python, javascript, security, linux, networking, databases, ai, devops, etc. | `programming` | | `maxItems` | Integer | Maximum number of stories to return (1–500) | `25` | ### Output Each record contains: | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `shortId` | String | Unique story ID on Lobsters | | `title` | String | Story headline | | `url` | String | Link to the original article | | `score` | Integer | Upvote count from community | | `flags` | Integer | Flag count (moderation signal) | | `commentCount` | Integer | Number of discussion comments | | `description` | String | Author-provided description (if any) | | `tags` | Array | Technology tags applied to the story | | `submittedBy` | String | Username of the submitter | | `createdAt` | String | ISO 8601 timestamp when posted | | `shortIdUrl` | String | Permanent story URL on lobste.rs | | `commentsUrl` | String | Direct link to comments thread | | `userIsAuthor` | Boolean | Whether submitter is the content author | | `scrapedAt` | String | ISO 8601 timestamp of when this record was scraped | ### Example Output ```json { "shortId": "abc123", "title": "Understanding Rust's Ownership Model", "url": "https://example.com/rust-ownership", "score": 89, "flags": 0, "commentCount": 14, "tags": ["programming", "rust"], "submittedBy": "johndoe", "createdAt": "2026-06-04T10:00:00.000-05:00", "shortIdUrl": "https://lobste.rs/s/abc123", "commentsUrl": "https://lobste.rs/s/abc123/understanding_rust_ownership", "userIsAuthor": false, "scrapedAt": "2026-06-04T15:30:00.000000+00:00" } ```` ### FAQs **Does this require an API key?** No. Lobsters provides a public JSON API at `/hottest.json`, `/newest.json`, and `/t/.json` without any authentication. **How many stories are returned per page?** Lobsters always returns exactly 25 stories per page. Set `maxItems` to a multiple of 25 for best results. **Which tags are available?** The dropdown includes 25 curated tags. For the full list, visit . **Can I get comments text?** This scraper returns story metadata only. Use the `commentsUrl` field to open the discussion thread. **How fresh is the data?** Stories are fetched in real time directly from the Lobsters API. No caching. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): Which feed to fetch. ## `tag` (type: `string`): Lobsters tag to filter by (mode=byTag). Examples: programming, python, javascript, security, linux, networking, ask, show. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of stories to return (each page has 25 stories). ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "hottest", "tag": "programming", "maxItems": 25 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `items` (type: `string`): Tech stories from lobste.rs — title, URL, score, comments, tags, author. # 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": "hottest", "tag": "programming", "maxItems": 25 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/lobsters-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": "hottest", "tag": "programming", "maxItems": 25, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("crawlerbros/lobsters-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": "hottest", "tag": "programming", "maxItems": 25 }' | apify call crawlerbros/lobsters-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlerbros/lobsters-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Lobsters Scraper", "description": "Scrape Lobsters (lobste.rs) â€\" a curated tech link aggregator. Fetch hottest, newest, or tag-filtered stories with scores, comments, tags, and author info. No authentication required.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "nH3orLDmhCYVwahjR" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/crawlerbros~lobsters-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-crawlerbros-lobsters-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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~lobsters-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-crawlerbros-lobsters-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~lobsters-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-crawlerbros-lobsters-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": [ "hottest", "newest", "byTag" ], "type": "string", "description": "Which feed to fetch.", "default": "hottest" }, "tag": { "title": "Tag", "enum": [ "programming", "python", "javascript", "ruby", "go", "rust", "java", "c", "cpp", "web", "security", "linux", "networking", "hardware", "databases", "ai", "distributed", "devops", "api", "tools", "mathematics", "science", "performance", "ask", "show" ], "type": "string", "description": "Lobsters tag to filter by (mode=byTag). Examples: programming, python, javascript, security, linux, networking, ask, show.", "default": "programming" }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max items", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 500, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of stories to return (each page has 25 stories).", "default": 25 } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```