# Stack Overflow Question Search & Scraper (`fit_melon/stackoverflow-question-search`) Actor Search Stack Overflow (or any Stack Exchange site) by keyword and tags via the official API: title, link, score, views, answers, accepted answer, tags, dates. Clean JSON, no fragile HTML scraping. Free. - **URL**: https://apify.com/fit\_melon/stackoverflow-question-search.md - **Developed by:** [D N](https://apify.com/fit_melon) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing Pay per usage This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-usage ## 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 ## Stack Overflow Question Search & Scraper **Free Stack Overflow search tool.** Search questions on Stack Overflow — or any Stack Exchange site (Server Fault, Super User, Ask Ubuntu…) — by free-text query and required tags, using the **official Stack Exchange API** (no fragile HTML scraping). Each question comes back as clean JSON: title, direct link, score, view count, answer count, accepted answer, tags, creation and last-activity dates, and owner info. This Actor is **free** — you only pay for your own Apify platform usage. ### Input | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `queries` | array | Free-text search queries (one search per query). | | `tagged` | string | Optional semicolon-separated tags every result must have (e.g. `node.js;typescript`). | | `sort` | string | `relevance` (default), `votes`, `activity` or `creation`. | | `maxResultsPerQuery` | integer | Cap per query (default 25, max 1000). | | `site` | string | Stack Exchange site, default `stackoverflow`. | ### Output ```json { "status": "found", "query": "javascript fetch timeout", "questionId": 46946380, "title": "Fetch API request timeout?", "link": "https://stackoverflow.com/questions/46946380/fetch-api-request-timeout", "score": 332, "viewCount": 486553, "answerCount": 18, "isAnswered": true, "acceptedAnswerId": 46946573, "tags": ["javascript", "ajax", "fetch-api"], "createdAt": "2017-10-26T05:23:17.000Z" } ```` `status` is `found`, `not_found` (query matched nothing) or `error`. The Actor respects the API's `backoff` signals and stops before exhausting the shared daily quota. ### Use cases - Content research: find the highest-voted unanswered questions in your niche. - Developer marketing: monitor questions mentioning your product or SDK. - Build FAQ/knowledge bases from real developer pain points. - Trend analysis on tags and topics over time. ### Limitations & fair use Uses the public (keyless) Stack Exchange API quota shared per IP (~300 requests/day). For heavy use, run smaller batches. Data © Stack Exchange Inc., CC BY-SA. *** Free tool by [fit\_melon](https://apify.com/fit_melon) — more French business data & developer utilities on the profile. ⭐ if useful! # Actor input Schema ## `queries` (type: `array`): Free-text search queries. One search per query; each matching question becomes a dataset item. ## `tagged` (type: `string`): Optional. Semicolon-separated list of tags every result must have, e.g. node.js;typescript. ## `sort` (type: `string`): How to sort results. ## `maxResultsPerQuery` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of questions to return for each query. ## `site` (type: `string`): API site parameter: stackoverflow (default), serverfault, superuser, askubuntu, etc. ## Actor input object example ```json { "queries": [ "javascript fetch timeout" ], "sort": "relevance", "maxResultsPerQuery": 25, "site": "stackoverflow" } ``` # 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 = { "queries": [ "javascript fetch timeout" ], "tagged": "" }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("fit_melon/stackoverflow-question-search").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 = { "queries": ["javascript fetch timeout"], "tagged": "", } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("fit_melon/stackoverflow-question-search").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 '{ "queries": [ "javascript fetch timeout" ], "tagged": "" }' | apify call fit_melon/stackoverflow-question-search --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fit_melon/stackoverflow-question-search", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Stack Overflow Question Search & Scraper", "description": "Search Stack Overflow (or any Stack Exchange site) by keyword and tags via the official API: title, link, score, views, answers, accepted answer, tags, dates. Clean JSON, no fragile HTML scraping. Free.", "version": "0.0", "x-build-id": "CNt4LLaHiayDbI07g" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/fit_melon~stackoverflow-question-search/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-fit_melon-stackoverflow-question-search", "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/fit_melon~stackoverflow-question-search/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-fit_melon-stackoverflow-question-search", "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/fit_melon~stackoverflow-question-search/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-fit_melon-stackoverflow-question-search", "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": [ "queries" ], "properties": { "queries": { "title": "Search queries", "type": "array", "description": "Free-text search queries. One search per query; each matching question becomes a dataset item.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "tagged": { "title": "Required tags", "type": "string", "description": "Optional. Semicolon-separated list of tags every result must have, e.g. node.js;typescript." }, "sort": { "title": "Sort by", "enum": [ "relevance", "votes", "activity", "creation" ], "type": "string", "description": "How to sort results.", "default": "relevance" }, "maxResultsPerQuery": { "title": "Max results per query", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 1000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of questions to return for each query.", "default": 25 }, "site": { "title": "Stack Exchange site", "type": "string", "description": "API site parameter: stackoverflow (default), serverfault, superuser, askubuntu, etc.", "default": "stackoverflow" } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```