# JSON Content Checker (`scrapeworks/json-content-checker`) Actor Check and validate a list of JSON URLs or API endpoints in bulk: confirm each response is valid JSON, inspect its structure, assert that required fields and values are present, and get a stable content hash to detect when a feed changes. - **URL**: https://apify.com/scrapeworks/json-content-checker.md - **Developed by:** [Nicolas van Arkens](https://apify.com/scrapeworks) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $1.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. 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 ## JSON Content Checker Fetch any list of JSON endpoints or `.json` files and get a clean, structured **check** of each one — is it valid JSON, what's its shape, has it changed, and do the values you expect actually hold? Built for **bulk**: pass one URL or a thousand, and every URL becomes one check record. No API key required (optional custom headers let you check protected endpoints). ### What it's for - **API & endpoint monitoring** — confirm a JSON API still returns `200` and valid JSON on a schedule, and catch the moment it breaks. - **Change detection** — every record includes a stable `contentHash`. Diff the hash across scheduled runs to know instantly when a feed's content changed. - **Data-contract / schema checks** — assert that required paths exist (`data.results`, `meta.total`) and that values are in range (`data.total > 100`, `status == "ok"`) across many endpoints at once. - **Bulk QA & pipelines** — validate a whole list of JSON files or microservice responses in one run and export clean JSON for your dashboards. ### Input | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `urls` | array | JSON endpoints / `.json` URLs to check. A missing scheme defaults to `https://`. Each URL produces one record. | | `requiredPaths` | array | *Optional.* Dot/bracket paths that must exist in each document, e.g. `data.results`, `items[0].id`. Reported as present/missing with type + preview. | | `expectations` | array | *Optional.* Value assertions, e.g. `status == "ok"`, `data.total > 100`, `items contains "foo"`, `meta.next missing`. Each is reported as passed/failed with the actual value. | | `requestHeaders` | object | *Optional.* Extra HTTP headers sent with every request (e.g. an `Authorization` token for protected JSON). | | `followRedirects` | boolean | Follow redirects and check the final destination. Default `true`. | | `timeoutSecs` | integer | Per-request timeout in seconds. Default `30`. | | `maxResults` | integer | Safety cap on URLs checked per run. Default `1000`. | #### Expectation syntax One assertion per entry. The left side is a path; the right side a JSON literal (number, `"string"`, `true`/`false`/`null`). ```` status == "ok" data.total > 100 items\[0].id exists version != "0" meta.count <= 50 results missing title contains "Report" tags contains "news" data.ok == true ```` Supported operators: `exists`, `missing` / `present`, `==`, `!=`, `>`, `<`, `>=`, `<=`, `contains`. ### Output One record per URL: ```json { "url": "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1", "finalUrl": "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1", "success": true, "statusCode": 200, "contentType": "application/json; charset=utf-8", "declaredJson": true, "validJson": true, "jsonError": null, "rootType": "object", "topLevelKeys": ["userId", "id", "title", "completed"], "topLevelKeyCount": 4, "arrayLength": null, "itemCount": 4, "sizeBytes": 83, "depth": 1, "contentHash": "sha256:8e3f...c1", "hashMode": "canonical-json", "pathChecks": [ { "path": "title", "exists": true, "type": "string", "valuePreview": "\"delectus aut autem\"" } ], "expectationResults": [ { "expression": "id == 1", "path": "id", "operator": "==", "expected": 1, "actual": 1, "passed": true } ], "checksPassed": 2, "checksTotal": 2, "allChecksPassed": true, "fetchedAt": "2026-06-14T00:00:00+00:00", "error": null } ```` ### How the content hash works For valid JSON, `contentHash` is a SHA-256 of the **canonicalized** document (keys sorted, whitespace removed), so cosmetic reordering or reformatting never registers as a change — only real content does. For non-JSON responses, the hash falls back to the raw bytes (`hashMode: "raw-bytes"`). Run the actor on a schedule and compare `contentHash` between runs to detect when a feed actually changed. ### Notes - A non-JSON response is **not** an error — it's a real result: `validJson` is `false`, `jsonError` explains why, and the row is still returned (and charged). - A URL that fails to fetch (timeout, DNS error, connection refused, bad URL) is recorded with `success: false` and the reason — it never crashes the run and is **never charged**. - Paths support dot and bracket notation, including array indices (`items[0].id`) and quoted keys (`data["weird.key"]`). - `topLevelKeys` is capped at the first 100 keys for very wide objects; `topLevelKeyCount` always reflects the true total. # Actor input Schema ## `urls` (type: `array`): List of JSON endpoints or .json file URLs to fetch and check. A missing scheme defaults to https://. Each URL produces one check record. Pass as many as you like — the actor checks them all in one run. ## `requiredPaths` (type: `array`): Optional. Dot/bracket paths that must be present in each JSON document, e.g. "data.results", "meta.total", "items\[0].id". For every path you get back whether it exists, its type, and a value preview. Applied to every URL. ## `expectations` (type: `array`): Optional. One assertion per line, evaluated against each JSON document. Supports: "path exists", "path missing", "path == value", "!=", ">", "<", ">=", "<=", and "path contains value". Values may be JSON literals, e.g. status == "ok", data.total > 100, items contains "foo". Each assertion reports passed/failed with the actual value. ## `requestHeaders` (type: `object`): Optional HTTP headers sent with every request, e.g. an Authorization token or API key for protected JSON endpoints. Example: {"Authorization": "Bearer XXX"}. ## `followRedirects` (type: `boolean`): If enabled, follows redirects and checks the final destination. If disabled, checks the first response as-is. ## `timeoutSecs` (type: `integer`): How long to wait for each URL before recording it as a failed fetch. ## `maxResults` (type: `integer`): Safety cap on how many URLs are checked in one run. Extra URLs beyond this are skipped. ## Actor input object example ```json { "urls": [ "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1", "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users", "https://api.github.com/repos/apify/apify-sdk-python" ], "requiredPaths": [], "expectations": [], "requestHeaders": {}, "followRedirects": true, "timeoutSecs": 30, "maxResults": 1000 } ``` # 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 = { "urls": [ "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1", "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users", "https://api.github.com/repos/apify/apify-sdk-python" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("scrapeworks/json-content-checker").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 = { "urls": [ "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1", "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users", "https://api.github.com/repos/apify/apify-sdk-python", ] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("scrapeworks/json-content-checker").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 '{ "urls": [ "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1", "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users", "https://api.github.com/repos/apify/apify-sdk-python" ] }' | apify call scrapeworks/json-content-checker --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=scrapeworks/json-content-checker", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "JSON Content Checker", "description": "Check and validate a list of JSON URLs or API endpoints in bulk: confirm each response is valid JSON, inspect its structure, assert that required fields and values are present, and get a stable content hash to detect when a feed changes.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "hZYSos1UScWBj297X" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/scrapeworks~json-content-checker/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-scrapeworks-json-content-checker", "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/scrapeworks~json-content-checker/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-scrapeworks-json-content-checker", "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/scrapeworks~json-content-checker/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-scrapeworks-json-content-checker", "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", "properties": { "urls": { "title": "JSON URLs to check", "type": "array", "description": "List of JSON endpoints or .json file URLs to fetch and check. A missing scheme defaults to https://. Each URL produces one check record. Pass as many as you like — the actor checks them all in one run.", "default": [ "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1", "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users", "https://api.github.com/repos/apify/apify-sdk-python" ], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "requiredPaths": { "title": "Required paths (must exist)", "type": "array", "description": "Optional. Dot/bracket paths that must be present in each JSON document, e.g. \"data.results\", \"meta.total\", \"items[0].id\". For every path you get back whether it exists, its type, and a value preview. Applied to every URL.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "expectations": { "title": "Value expectations (assertions)", "type": "array", "description": "Optional. One assertion per line, evaluated against each JSON document. Supports: \"path exists\", \"path missing\", \"path == value\", \"!=\", \">\", \"<\", \">=\", \"<=\", and \"path contains value\". Values may be JSON literals, e.g. status == \"ok\", data.total > 100, items contains \"foo\". Each assertion reports passed/failed with the actual value.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "requestHeaders": { "title": "Extra request headers", "type": "object", "description": "Optional HTTP headers sent with every request, e.g. an Authorization token or API key for protected JSON endpoints. Example: {\"Authorization\": \"Bearer XXX\"}.", "default": {} }, "followRedirects": { "title": "Follow redirects", "type": "boolean", "description": "If enabled, follows redirects and checks the final destination. If disabled, checks the first response as-is.", "default": true }, "timeoutSecs": { "title": "Request timeout (seconds)", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 300, "type": "integer", "description": "How long to wait for each URL before recording it as a failed fetch.", "default": 30 }, "maxResults": { "title": "Max results", "minimum": 1, "type": "integer", "description": "Safety cap on how many URLs are checked in one run. Extra URLs beyond this are skipped.", "default": 1000 } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```