# NodeInfo Instance Extractor (`datamule/nodeinfo-instance-extractor`) Actor

Point at ANY fediverse instance (Mastodon, Lemmy, Misskey, Pixelfed, PeerTube…) and extract its NodeInfo: software name & version, protocols, services, open-registrations, user counts, local posts & comments, plus the raw NodeInfo JSON. One generic runner for every fediverse server.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/datamule/nodeinfo-instance-extractor.md
- **Developed by:** [Datamule](https://apify.com/datamule) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Social media
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.35 / 1,000 instance parseds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
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

## NodeInfo Instance Extractor

Point at **any fediverse instance** and get a clean, comparable census row from
its **NodeInfo** — the standardized discovery protocol every fediverse server
implements. Mastodon, Lemmy, Misskey, Pixelfed, PeerTube, Friendica,
GoToSocial, Pleroma/Akkoma, Bookwyrm, WriteFreely and dozens more all speak it.

One generic runner for the entire fediverse — no per-network scraper, no
host enumeration, no login.

### What it does

NodeInfo is a fixed **two-hop, no-auth, pure-JSON** handshake:

1. `GET https://<host>/.well-known/nodeinfo` → a `links[]` list pointing to a
   versioned NodeInfo document.
2. `GET` the highest-version document (2.1 › 2.0 › 1.x) → software name &
   version, protocols, services, registration policy, and real usage stats.

Give it a list of hosts; it runs both hops for each and returns **one flat row
per instance**.

### Input

```json
{
  "instances": ["mastodon.social", "https://lemmy.world", "misskey.io"]
}
````

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `instances` | array (required) | Bare hostnames or base URLs. Each is normalized to its host and queried at `/.well-known/nodeinfo`. |
| `userAgent` | string | Optional custom User-Agent (some instances 403 a default UA). |
| `extraHeaders` | object | Optional extra HTTP headers for gated deployments. Never required for public instances; never logged. |

### Output

One dataset row per instance:

| Column | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `host` | The instance host queried |
| `software_name` / `software_version` | e.g. `mastodon` / `4.6.3` |
| `software_repository` / `software_homepage` | Source links when advertised (2.1) |
| `protocols` | e.g. `["activitypub"]` |
| `services_inbound` / `services_outbound` | Federated services (e.g. RSS/Atom feeds) |
| `open_registrations` | Whether signups are open |
| `total_users` | Total registered users |
| `active_month` / `active_halfyear` | Monthly / half-year active users |
| `local_posts` / `local_comments` | Local content counts |
| `node_name` / `node_description` | Free-form instance metadata |
| `nodeinfo_version` / `schema_rel` | Which NodeInfo schema version was read |
| `_raw` | The lossless raw NodeInfo JSON |

Example row (`mastodon.social`):

```json
{
  "host": "mastodon.social",
  "software_name": "mastodon",
  "software_version": "4.6.3",
  "protocols": ["activitypub"],
  "open_registrations": true,
  "total_users": 3332491,
  "active_month": 268351,
  "active_halfyear": 704364,
  "local_posts": 180270111,
  "local_comments": null,
  "node_name": "Mastodon",
  "nodeinfo_version": "2.0"
}
```

### Generic by design

Instances differ only in **which optional fields they populate**, and every
field is read by key presence — so a server that omits `activeMonth` (Misskey
serves it `null`), has no `local_comments` (Mastodon), or ships an empty
`metadata` block (Lemmy) yields `null` for that column instead of failing.
Unreachable hosts and non-NodeInfo servers are skipped with a warning and the
batch continues.

### Pricing

Pay-per-event: one charge per instance row returned.

### Use cases

- Fediverse census / research: compare software, versions, and activity across
  a set of instances.
- Instance-picking: check registration status, size, and activity before
  joining or recommending an instance.
- Monitoring: track a watchlist of instances' software versions and user growth
  over time.
- Migration/federation planning: enumerate the software and protocols a peer
  set runs.

# Actor input Schema

## `instances` (type: `array`):

One or more fediverse instances to census — as bare hostnames OR base URLs. Each is normalized to its host and queried at /.well-known/nodeinfo (the NodeInfo discovery protocol every fediverse server implements). Works against ANY NodeInfo-speaking software: Mastodon, Lemmy, Misskey, Pixelfed, PeerTube, Friendica, GoToSocial, Pleroma/Akkoma, Bookwyrm, WriteFreely and more. Examples: mastodon.social, https://lemmy.world, misskey.io, https://pixelfed.social/.

## `userAgent` (type: `string`):

Optional custom User-Agent header. Some instances 403 a default UA; a descriptive browser-ish or bot UA usually works. Leave empty to use the actor's default descriptive UA.

## `extraHeaders` (type: `object`):

Optional extra HTTP headers as a JSON object, e.g. {"x-api-key": "..."} for gated / rate-limited deployments. Not required for public instances — anonymous read is the point of NodeInfo. Header values are never logged.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "instances": [
    "mastodon.social",
    "lemmy.world",
    "misskey.io"
  ]
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# 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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "instances": [
        "mastodon.social",
        "lemmy.world",
        "misskey.io"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("datamule/nodeinfo-instance-extractor").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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "instances": [
        "mastodon.social",
        "lemmy.world",
        "misskey.io",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("datamule/nodeinfo-instance-extractor").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 '{
  "instances": [
    "mastodon.social",
    "lemmy.world",
    "misskey.io"
  ]
}' |
apify call datamule/nodeinfo-instance-extractor --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=datamule/nodeinfo-instance-extractor",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

```json
{
    "openapi": "3.0.1",
    "info": {
        "title": "NodeInfo Instance Extractor",
        "description": "Point at ANY fediverse instance (Mastodon, Lemmy, Misskey, Pixelfed, PeerTube…) and extract its NodeInfo: software name & version, protocols, services, open-registrations, user counts, local posts & comments, plus the raw NodeInfo JSON. One generic runner for every fediverse server.",
        "version": "0.1",
        "x-build-id": "e9icE8JlQ4VNHg3gQ"
    },
    "servers": [
        {
            "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
        }
    ],
    "paths": {
        "/acts/datamule~nodeinfo-instance-extractor/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-datamule-nodeinfo-instance-extractor",
                "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": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/datamule~nodeinfo-instance-extractor/runs": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "runs-sync-datamule-nodeinfo-instance-extractor",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$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": {
                                    "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/datamule~nodeinfo-instance-extractor/run-sync": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-datamule-nodeinfo-instance-extractor",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$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": [
                    "instances"
                ],
                "properties": {
                    "instances": {
                        "title": "Fediverse instance(s)",
                        "type": "array",
                        "description": "One or more fediverse instances to census — as bare hostnames OR base URLs. Each is normalized to its host and queried at /.well-known/nodeinfo (the NodeInfo discovery protocol every fediverse server implements). Works against ANY NodeInfo-speaking software: Mastodon, Lemmy, Misskey, Pixelfed, PeerTube, Friendica, GoToSocial, Pleroma/Akkoma, Bookwyrm, WriteFreely and more. Examples: mastodon.social, https://lemmy.world, misskey.io, https://pixelfed.social/.",
                        "items": {
                            "type": "string"
                        }
                    },
                    "userAgent": {
                        "title": "User-Agent",
                        "type": "string",
                        "description": "Optional custom User-Agent header. Some instances 403 a default UA; a descriptive browser-ish or bot UA usually works. Leave empty to use the actor's default descriptive UA."
                    },
                    "extraHeaders": {
                        "title": "Extra request headers",
                        "type": "object",
                        "description": "Optional extra HTTP headers as a JSON object, e.g. {\"x-api-key\": \"...\"} for gated / rate-limited deployments. Not required for public instances — anonymous read is the point of NodeInfo. Header values are never logged."
                    }
                }
            },
            "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
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
```