# Changelog of TikTok Creator Search Insights (`cunning_soil/tiktok-creator-search-insights`) Actor

- **URL**: https://apify.com/cunning_soil/tiktok-creator-search-insights/changelog.md
- **Full Actor documentation**: https://apify.com/cunning_soil/tiktok-creator-search-insights.md

### 1.2 — 2026-08-28

#### Changed

- **Related videos** now use TikTok's CSI `get_related_videos` endpoint (`query_id_str`) instead of general `/search/item/` keyword search. This avoids `hit_shark` blocks and returns videos in `video_lists`.

#### Fixed

- `relatedVideosBlocked` is only set when related videos are actually empty (not when videos were returned alongside a stale `search_nil_info`).

#### Known limitations

- Bundled signing tokens and device pool expire periodically. Refresh `src/csi_config.json` when you see `status_code=505000`.

### 1.1 — 2026-07-29

#### Added

- **Automatic retries** with exponential backoff for transient network and TikTok API errors.
- **Device rotation** — on session blocks (`status_code=505000`), the Actor picks a different device from the pool and retries.
- **Clean failure messages** — invalid input and API errors surface as readable Apify run status messages instead of raw tracebacks.
- **RUN_INFO** key-value store entry with run metadata: channel, tab, total items, elapsed time.
- **Featured tab** now respects `maxItems` and `includeTopicDetail` enrichment (previously skipped).
- **Advanced input controls** — request timeout, max retries, and retry backoff are configurable.
- **Dataset schema** with Overview and Enriched Details table views.
- **Output schema** documenting the default dataset and RUN_INFO.
- **Professional README** with API usage examples (REST, JS, Python) and pricing guidance.
- **Per-request pay-per-event billing** — each TikTok API call (feed pages and enrichment calls, excluding retries) is billed as one `api-request` event; the Actor stops making new requests when the user's max total charge is reached.
- **`apiRequests`** count added to the RUN_INFO run summary.
- **CHANGELOG** for the Apify Console Information tab.

#### Changed

- Sample output in the README now uses real enriched rows (content gap + `iphone` keyword search).
- Search keyword is prefilled with `iphone` on the Input form.
- `feedChannel` is no longer required — query-ID-only runs no longer need a dummy feed selection.
- Feed page errors are caught and logged instead of crashing the entire run; already-pushed data is preserved.
- **Include topic details** is on by default and shown on the main Input screen so charts, demographics, and AI outlines are included unless the user turns it off.

#### Known limitations

- Related videos (`includeRelatedVideos`) may return empty when TikTok's anti-bot (`hit_shark`) triggers on the device pool. The output includes `relatedVideosBlocked` when this happens.
- Bundled signing tokens and device pool expire periodically. Refresh `src/csi_config.json` when you see `status_code=505000`.

### 1.0 — Initial release

- All 16 CSI home tabs + keyword search.
- Topic detail enrichment: popularity charts, demographics, related topics, AI outlines, related videos.
- Direct query-ID lookup mode.