# Remove duplicate items from an Apify dataset by URL

**Use case:** 

Deduplicate an Apify dataset by the url field and keep the first copy of each item. URLs are compared ignoring case and extra spaces. This example uses our public demo dataset of 19 coffee shop items with 9 duplicates and returns 10 unique items. Add more dataset IDs to merge and clean several runs at once.

## Input

```json
{
  "datasetIds": [
    "CotvbQSQ340wBAwq3"
  ],
  "dedupeFields": [
    "url"
  ],
  "keep": "first",
  "normalizeValues": true,
  "pageSize": 1000
}
```

## Output

```json
{
  "url": {
    "label": "Url",
    "format": "link"
  },
  "title": {
    "label": "Title"
  },
  "rating": {
    "label": "Rating"
  },
  "address": {
    "label": "Address"
  },
  "scrapedAt": {
    "label": "Scraped at"
  }
}
```

## How it works

### 1. Sign up on Apify or log in

The Merge & Deduplicate Datasets Actor is ready to run with the inputs already set for "Remove duplicate items from an Apify dataset by URL". [Sign up or log in](https://console.apify.com/create-task-from-example/dT4z6ptS26MBK03on) and you'll land in Apify Console with a copy of this exact task.

### 2. Start the "Remove duplicate items from an Apify dataset by URL" task

The Merge & Deduplicate Datasets Actor will start running based on the input automatically. You can also change all the input fields, like datasets to merge, deduplicate by fields, and more, to match your specific use case.

### 3. Receive the "Remove duplicate items from an Apify dataset by URL" output

Monitor the progress in real time. You will be notified as soon as your dataset is complete and ready for review. Each result includes data such as url, title, rating, and more.

### 4. Integrate into your workflow

The final output is delivered in JSON, CSV, or Excel format, ready to be plugged into your workflow. You can also [run the "Remove duplicate items from an Apify dataset by URL" task via API](https://apify.com/ctriolab/merge-dedupe-datasets.md).

## About this Actor

This example demonstrates how to use [Merge & Deduplicate Datasets](https://apify.com/ctriolab/merge-dedupe-datasets.md) with a specific input configuration. Visit the [Actor detail page](https://apify.com/ctriolab/merge-dedupe-datasets.md) to learn more, explore other use cases, and run it yourself.


## How to integrate an Actor?

This Task's input is already configured above. Use it as-is rather than inventing a new one.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For full API examples (JavaScript, Python, CLI, MCP, OpenAPI), see this Task's Actor page: https://apify.com/ctriolab/merge-dedupe-datasets.md

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).