README.md

Vscode Extension Reviews Scraper

Introduction

The Vscode Extension Reviews Scraper is an Apify Actor designed to efficiently extract reviews from Visual Studio Code extensions listed on the Microsoft Marketplace. This tool provides valuable insights into user feedback, helping developers and businesses make informed decisions.

Features

• Efficient Data Extraction: Quickly scrape reviews using a robust CheerioCrawler template.
• High-Quality Data: Ensures accurate and reliable data capture for analysis.
• Customizable Limits: Set the maximum number of items to scrape according to your needs.
• User-Friendly Setup: Easy configuration with pre-filled start URLs.
• Versatile Output Formats: Export results in JSON, CSV, or Excel formats.

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Example
startUrls	array	Yes	URLs to start with. These are the initial pages from which data will be scraped.	[{"url": "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=JetBrains.resharper-code"}]
maxItems	integer	No	Maximum number of items that can be scraped by this crawler.	10

Example Usage

Input JSON

{
  "startUrls": [
    {
      "url": "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=JetBrains.resharper-code"
    }
  ],
  "maxItems": 10
}

Output JSON

[
  {
    "id": 339074,
    "userId": "361ae396-ba8b-6218-8d0c-6fdcbcbd911e",
    "userDisplayName": "Hugo Esperanca",
    "updatedDate": "2026-07-01T20:00:59.923Z",
    "rating": 2,
    "text": "Missing run/debug option on the project context menu. I'm surprised that such basic but important functionality is missing!",
    "productVersion": "2026.1.3",
    "isDeleted": false,
    "isIgnored": false,
    "reCaptchaToken": null
  }
]

Use Cases

• Market Research and Analysis: Gain insights into user satisfaction and trends.
• Competitive Intelligence: Understand competitor extension performance through reviews.
• Price Monitoring: Track pricing changes and customer feedback on extensions.
• Content Aggregation: Compile reviews for content creation or reporting.
• Academic Research: Use review data for studies in software engineering or human-computer interaction.
• Business Automation: Automate the collection of user feedback for business strategies.

Installation and Usage

1. Search for "Vscode Extension Reviews Scraper" in the Apify Store.
2. Click "Try for free" or "Run".
3. Configure input parameters as needed.
4. Click "Start" to begin extraction.
5. Monitor progress in the log.
6. Export results in your preferred format (JSON, CSV, Excel).

Output Format

The output is a JSON array where each object represents a review with fields such as:

• id: Unique identifier for the review.
• userId: Identifier of the user who wrote the review.
• userDisplayName: Display name of the reviewer.
• updatedDate: Date and time when the review was last updated.
• rating: Rating given by the user (e.g., 1 to 5 stars).
• text: The content of the review.
• productVersion: Version of the product reviewed.
• isDeleted, isIgnored: Boolean flags indicating if a review is deleted or ignored.
• reCaptchaToken: Token used for CAPTCHA verification, if applicable.

Error Handling

The Actor handles common errors such as network issues and invalid URLs gracefully. If an error occurs during scraping, it will be logged in the Apify Console for troubleshooting.

Rate Limiting and Best Practices

To avoid being blocked by websites, adhere to polite crawling practices:

• Respect robots.txt directives.
• Implement delays between requests if necessary.
• Monitor logs for any rate-limiting warnings or errors.

Limitations and Considerations

• The Actor is designed specifically for Visual Studio Code extensions on the Microsoft Marketplace.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations when handling user reviews.
• CAPTCHA challenges may require manual intervention.

Support

For custom/simplified outputs or bug reports, please contact:

• Email: support@getdataforme.com
• Subject line: "custom support"
• Contact form: Contact Us

We're here to help you get the most out of this Actor!

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Description

The Vscode Extension Reviews Scraper is your go-to tool for extracting user reviews from Visual Studio Code extensions on the Microsoft Marketplace. With features like efficient data extraction, customizable limits, and versatile output formats, it's perfect for market research, competitive intelligence, and business automation. Start scraping today to gain valuable insights!