# ❓ Stack Overflow Scraper - Q\&A, Tags & Developer Insights (`unrivaled_fortress/stackoverflow-qa-scraper`) Actor

Extract public Stack Overflow questions, answers, tags, scores, and user details for developer research, coding intelligence, and support analytics. No login. Pay-per-result.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/unrivaled\_fortress/stackoverflow-qa-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [David An](https://apify.com/unrivaled_fortress) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 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 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

## ❓ Stack Overflow Q\&A Scraper

**Search and extract Stack Overflow questions, scores, answers, and tags by keyword.**

Powered by the official Stack Exchange API — no login, no proxy, no blocks.

### ✨ Features

- 🔍 **Keyword search** — find questions on any topic (e.g. `python async`, `react hooks`)
- 📊 **Rich metadata** — score, answer count, view count, tags, accepted answer
- 🏷️ **Tag breakdown** — see which technologies each question touches
- ⚡ **Fast & reliable** — official API, ~2 second results
- 🔗 **Direct links** — every question links back to Stack Overflow

### 💡 Use Cases

- 👨‍💻 **Developers** — find the most-answered questions on a topic
- 🧠 **Learners** — discover what people struggle with most
- 📈 **Market research** — analyze developer pain points by topic
- ✍️ **Content creators** — find trending dev questions for articles
- 🎓 **Technical recruiters** — gauge demand for specific skills

### 📊 Output Fields

Each question includes:

- `title` — question title
- `questionId` / `url` — Stack Overflow ID and link
- `score` — upvote score
- `answerCount` — number of answers
- `viewCount` — total views
- `isAnswered` / `acceptedAnswerId` — resolution status
- `tags` — technology tags
- `owner` — asker's display name
- `creationDate` / `lastActivityDate` — timestamps

### 🚀 How It Works

1. Sends your query to the Stack Exchange API
2. Filters by relevance, returns top questions
3. Enriches each with score, answers, views, and tags
4. Outputs structured JSON ready for analysis

### 💰 Pricing

**from $2.00 / 1,000 results** — pay only for data returned.

### ⚙️ Technical

- Runtime: Python 3.11
- Data source: official Stack Exchange API
- No API key required
- Execution time: ~2 seconds

***

**Search Stack Overflow like a pro. Just enter a keyword and run.**

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

Keyword to search Stack Overflow questions (e.g. 'python async', 'react hooks')

## `limit` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of questions to return (1-100)

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "python",
  "limit": 25
}
```

# 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 = {
    "query": "python"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("unrivaled_fortress/stackoverflow-qa-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 = { "query": "python" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("unrivaled_fortress/stackoverflow-qa-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 '{
  "query": "python"
}' |
apify call unrivaled_fortress/stackoverflow-qa-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,unrivaled_fortress/stackoverflow-qa-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/UNav3o60HZyEW72zm/builds/GFHuqEPWRre7bs5ce/openapi.json