# Skillshare Course Scraper (`muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper`) Actor

Extract public Skillshare course metadata from search pages or course URLs, including titles, instructors, descriptions, ratings, lesson counts, durations, categories, and images.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Muhammad Afzal](https://apify.com/muhammadafzal) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 77.8% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $5.00 / 1,000 course scrapeds

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
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.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — 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

## Skillshare Course Scraper

Extract structured metadata from public Skillshare search pages and course URLs. It is useful for course-market research, catalog analysis, curriculum discovery, and creator research.

### Extracted fields

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `courseUrl` | Canonical public course URL |
| `title`, `description` | Public course copy |
| `instructor` | Creator or instructor name |
| `rating`, `reviewCount` | Public rating signals when shown |
| `lessonCount`, `durationMinutes` | Course size and duration when shown |
| `category` | Public category/topic when shown |
| `imageUrl` | Course thumbnail when available |

### Input

Use `searchQueries` for topics or `startUrls` for public Skillshare search/course URLs. A direct course URL returns one course record. Search runs discover public `/en/classes/` links and then open them when `includeDetails` is enabled. `maxResults` caps both output records and result-event charges.

Example:

```json
{
  "searchQueries": ["illustration", "creative writing"],
  "maxResults": 20,
  "maxPagesPerQuery": 2,
  "includeDetails": true
}
```

### Pricing

The Actor uses pay per event: `$0.005` per unique course record delivered. A run with no records has no result-event charge. The run status and `SUMMARY` key-value record report delivered records, warnings, and the observed event cost.

### Reliability and limits

This Actor uses direct public HTML extraction and does not require Skillshare credentials. When configured by the owner, it uses the owner-authorized DataImpulse proxy route stored as the secret `DATAIMPULSE_PROXY_URL`; otherwise it uses the selected permitted Apify Proxy route. Skillshare and its CDN may return a managed anti-bot challenge; in that case the Actor reports `blocked_or_failed`, writes no fabricated course records, and charges no result events. Do not provide login cookies or attempt to bypass CAPTCHA, authentication, paywalls, or access controls. Use a permitted proxy route only when you are authorized to do so.

### Legal and compliance

Use this Actor only for public pages and in accordance with Skillshare's terms, robots directives, and applicable law. Respect rate limits and do not collect private or access-controlled content.

### Use cases

- Build public prospect lists and qualify organizations or professionals before responsible outreach.
- Schedule repeatable collection and export results to downstream workflows.
- Run a one-off research job and export the structured result as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or RSS from Apify.
- Schedule the same input to monitor changes over time and send completed datasets to a webhook or integration.
- Feed schema-shaped records into a database, spreadsheet, BI tool, or AI workflow with the source URL retained for verification.

### Output example

```json
{
  "courseUrl": "https://www.skillshare.com/en/classes/digital-illustration/123",
  "courseId": "123",
  "title": "Digital Illustration: Build Your Visual Language",
  "instructor": "Jane Doe",
  "description": "Learn a practical illustration workflow from sketch to final art.",
  "rating": 4.8,
  "reviewCount": 1240,
  "lessonCount": 12,
  "durationMinutes": 85,
  "category": "Illustration",
  "imageUrl": "https://static.skillshare.com/uploads/video/thumbnails/example.jpg",
  "scrapedAt": "Example scrapedAt"
}
```

The exact fields depend on the selected input and what the public source exposes. Use the dataset schema as the machine-readable contract and retain source URLs for verification.

### Run Skillshare Course Scraper with the Apify API

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: process.env.APIFY_TOKEN });
const run = await client.actor('muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper').call({
  "searchQueries": [],
  "startUrls": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.skillshare.com/en/classes/digital-illustration-from-concept-to-a-finished-piece/1174799319?via=pathDetailsPage"
    }
  ],
  "maxResults": 3,
  "maxPagesPerQuery": 1,
  "includeDetails": true,
  "proxyConfig": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "BUYPROXIES94952"
    ]
  }
});
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);
```

You can also run the Actor from Apify Console, schedules, webhooks, the REST API, Make, Zapier, n8n, or the hosted Apify MCP server.

### Support

When reporting a problem, include the **Actor run ID**, a redacted input, the expected result, and a small public example URL when applicable. Do not post API tokens, cookies, credentials, or personal data in an issue.

### Frequently asked questions

#### Can I schedule Skillshare Course Scraper?

Yes. Use an Apify schedule to run the same saved input at a chosen interval, then connect a webhook or integration to process the dataset when the run finishes.

#### How should I test a new input?

Begin with the prefilled example or a small limit. Confirm that the output fields, source coverage, runtime, and live charges match your workflow before increasing the scope.

#### How do I export the results?

Open the run's default dataset in Apify Console and export JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or RSS. Applications can retrieve the same records through the Apify API client or REST dataset endpoint.

#### Can an AI agent call this Actor?

Yes. Add `muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper` through the hosted Apify MCP server or call it through the API. The Actor's input and dataset schemas help agents construct valid requests and interpret returned records.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchQueries` (type: `array`):

Public Skillshare course topics to search. Example: \["illustration", "creative writing"]. Use startUrls when you need an existing filtered or paginated URL.

## `startUrls` (type: `array`):

Optional public Skillshare search or course URLs. Example: https://www.skillshare.com/en/search?query=illustration or a public /en/classes/... course URL.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum unique course records to return and bill for.

## `maxPagesPerQuery` (type: `integer`):

Maximum pagination pages per search query or search start URL.

## `includeDetails` (type: `boolean`):

Open each discovered course URL to enrich metadata. Disable for a cheaper search-only run.

## `proxyConfig` (type: `object`):

Use a permitted Apify residential session route by default. This does not bypass authentication, paywalls, CAPTCHAs, or managed challenges.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQueries": [],
  "startUrls": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.skillshare.com/en/classes/digital-illustration-from-concept-to-a-finished-piece/1174799319?via=pathDetailsPage"
    }
  ],
  "maxResults": 3,
  "maxPagesPerQuery": 1,
  "includeDetails": true,
  "proxyConfig": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "BUYPROXIES94952"
    ]
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

Dataset URL containing one record per unique public Skillshare course.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Key-value record containing counts, warnings, and cost.

# 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 = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper").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 = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,muhammadafzal/skillshare-course-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/gN3cr3FguDTdU1Qa0/builds/RVatyzIPKaBk8pfSp/openapi.json