# Mastodon Scraper - Hashtags & Public Timeline (No Login) (`arjunannamalai/mastodon-scraper`) Actor Scrape public Mastodon posts by hashtag across any instance, plus the public timeline where allowed. Clean text + engagement + author data. No login. - **URL**: https://apify.com/arjunannamalai/mastodon-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Arjun Annamalai](https://apify.com/arjunannamalai) (community) - **Categories:** Lead generation, Social media, Developer tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $3.00 / 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 ## Mastodon Scraper 🐘 — Hashtags & Public Timeline (No Login) Scrape **public Mastodon posts** across the fediverse — by **hashtag** on any instance, plus the **public timeline** where allowed. Clean, HTML-stripped text with engagement and author data. **No login required.** Export to JSON/CSV/Excel. For **social listening, lead generation, and researchers** tracking the migration off X/Twitter. ### What makes it better - **Works everywhere** — hashtag timelines work even on instances (like mastodon.social) that now require login for the public timeline. Most scrapers break there; this one doesn't. - **Any instance** — point it at mastodon.social, mastodon.world, fosstodon.org, or your own. - **Clean output** — HTML stripped to plain text, with favourites/boosts/replies and author follower counts. ### Example input ```json { "instance": "mastodon.social", "hashtags": ["ai", "opensource"], "includePublicTimeline": false, "maxItems": 200 } ```` ### Example output ```json { "url": "https://mastodon.social/@user/123", "text": "Just shipped a new open-source AI tool!", "authorAcct": "user", "authorFollowers": 1840, "favourites": 23, "reblogs": 7, "tags": ["ai", "opensource"] } ``` ### Use cases - Track a **hashtag** for brand/topic monitoring. - Build **lead lists** of people posting about your niche. - Research **fediverse** trends and sentiment. ### Tip For the **public/federated timeline**, use a permissive instance like `mastodon.world` — mastodon.social requires login for it (but hashtags work fine there). ### Run locally ```bash pip install -r requirements.txt python3 local_test.py ``` Then `apify push`. *** *Reads public data via the Mastodon API. Not affiliated with Mastodon gGmbH.* # Actor input Schema ## `instance` (type: `string`): Mastodon instance domain. Default mastodon.social. For the public timeline, try 'mastodon.world'. ## `hashtags` (type: `array`): Hashtags to scrape (without #). Works on every instance, e.g. 'ai', 'opensource'. ## `includePublicTimeline` (type: `boolean`): Also scrape the instance's public timeline. Many instances (incl. mastodon.social) require login for this — use a permissive instance like mastodon.world. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Hard cap on total posts pushed. ## Actor input object example ```json { "instance": "mastodon.social", "hashtags": [ "ai" ], "includePublicTimeline": false, "maxItems": 100 } ``` # 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 = { "instance": "mastodon.social", "hashtags": [ "ai" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("arjunannamalai/mastodon-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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "instance": "mastodon.social", "hashtags": ["ai"], } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("arjunannamalai/mastodon-scraper").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 '{ "instance": "mastodon.social", "hashtags": [ "ai" ] }' | apify call arjunannamalai/mastodon-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=arjunannamalai/mastodon-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Mastodon Scraper - Hashtags & Public Timeline (No Login)", "description": "Scrape public Mastodon posts by hashtag across any instance, plus the public timeline where allowed. Clean text + engagement + author data. No login.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "jEHJxGiv19A3w6qy5" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/arjunannamalai~mastodon-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-arjunannamalai-mastodon-scraper", "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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/arjunannamalai~mastodon-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-arjunannamalai-mastodon-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/arjunannamalai~mastodon-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-arjunannamalai-mastodon-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "instance": { "title": "Instance", "type": "string", "description": "Mastodon instance domain. Default mastodon.social. For the public timeline, try 'mastodon.world'.", "default": "mastodon.social" }, "hashtags": { "title": "Hashtags", "type": "array", "description": "Hashtags to scrape (without #). Works on every instance, e.g. 'ai', 'opensource'.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "includePublicTimeline": { "title": "Include public timeline", "type": "boolean", "description": "Also scrape the instance's public timeline. Many instances (incl. mastodon.social) require login for this — use a permissive instance like mastodon.world.", "default": false }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max posts", "minimum": 1, "type": "integer", "description": "Hard cap on total posts pushed.", "default": 100 } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```