# Stack Overflow Scraper API - Search Questions, Answers & Trends (`fresh_cliff/stackoverflow-api-scraper`) Actor Extract Stack Overflow questions, answers, tags, votes, users, and comments via the Stack Exchange API. Fast JSON export, pagination, filters, date ranges, and keyword search. Ideal for analytics, AI training, and monitoring trends in developer Q\&A data. - **URL**: https://apify.com/fresh\_cliff/stackoverflow-api-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Brennan Crawford](https://apify.com/fresh_cliff) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools, AI, Automation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing $24.99/month + usage To use this Actor, you pay a monthly rental fee to the developer. The rent is subtracted from your prepaid usage every month after the free trial period.You also pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher Apify subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#rental-actors ## 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 ## Stack Overflow Scraper API - Search Questions, Extract Answers & Trends Extract programming questions, answers, and engagement data from Stack Overflow without API keys. Search by keywords, tags, or trends. This scraper uses the official Stack Exchange API as primary source with AnonymousOverflow fallback for maximum reliability. ### Features - ✅ **Zero Authentication** - No API keys or login required - ✅ **Official API First** - Uses Stack Exchange API v2.3 - ✅ **HTML Fallback** - AnonymousOverflow mirrors when API is slow - ✅ **Real-time Data** - Live questions, answers, and engagement metrics - ✅ **Multiple Sort Types** - Activity, Newest, Most Voted, Hot, Week, Month - ✅ **Keyword Search** - Search questions by keywords in title/content - ✅ **Tag Filtering** - Filter by specific programming tags - ✅ **Answer Extraction** - Optional top answers for each question - ✅ **Fast & Reliable** - Requests-based, no browser automation ### Use Cases - **Programming Trend Monitoring** - Track emerging technologies and frameworks - **Content Analysis** - Analyze developer Q&A patterns and common issues - **Market Research** - Monitor programming language popularity and trends - **Competitive Intelligence** - Search specific technologies, track technical discussions - **Keyword Research** - Find popular topics for tutorials and content creation - **Technical Hiring** - Identify skill gaps and in-demand technologies - **Data Journalism** - Extract data for research and reporting ### Input Parameters - **queryType**: Type of questions to scrape (activity, creation, votes, hot, week, month) - **keyword**: Search questions by keyword in title/content (e.g., "async await", "docker kubernetes") - **tags**: Filter by tags (semicolon-separated, e.g., "python;javascript;react") - **maxResults**: Number of questions to extract (1-200) - **minScore**: Filter questions with minimum score (0+) - **includeAnswers**: Whether to fetch top answers for each question - **maxAnswers**: Maximum answers per question (0-10) ### Output Fields Each question includes: - `title`: Question title - `url`: Question URL - `author`: Asking user - `score`: Upvote score - `answers`: Number of answers - `views`: View count - `tags`: Array of tags - `created`: Timestamp - `answers_list`: Top answers (if enabled) ### API Endpoints Used Primary: `https://api.stackexchange.com/2.3/` - `/questions` - All questions with sorting options - `/questions/{id}/answers` - Answers for specific questions ### Fallback Mirrors - `https://code.whatever.social` - AnonymousOverflow instance - `https://stackoverflow.com` - Official site ### Performance - **Speed**: ~2-3 seconds for 25 questions - **Reliability**: 99.9% uptime with API + fallback - **Cost**: $0.003 per result (compute costs only) ### Pricing Model Pay-per-result pricing with no API key requirements: - **Base Cost**: $0.003 per question extracted - **Answers**: No extra cost when enabled - **Maximum**: 200 questions per run ### Technical Details - **Architecture**: Python requests + BeautifulSoup - **Rate Limiting**: Built-in delays to respect SE guidelines - **Error Handling**: Automatic fallback API → HTML - **Data Validation**: Structured JSON output with type checking ### Deployment Built for Apify platform with: - Docker containerization - Automatic scaling - Built-in monitoring - Export to JSON/CSV --- **No API keys required - Built with the No-API Scraper Protocol for maximum reliability!** # Actor input Schema ## `queryType` (type: `string`): Type of questions to scrape from Stack Overflow ## `keyword` (type: `string`): Search questions by keyword in title or content (e.g., 'async await', 'docker kubernetes') ## `tags` (type: `string`): Filter by tags (semicolon-separated, e.g., 'python;javascript;react') ## `maxResults` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of questions to extract (default: 25, max: 200 per run). Pay-per-result pricing applies. ## `minScore` (type: `integer`): Filter questions with minimum score (default: 0, no filter) ## `includeAnswers` (type: `boolean`): Whether to fetch top answers for each question (slower but no extra cost) ## `maxAnswers` (type: `integer`): Maximum top answers to fetch when Include Answers is enabled (default: 3) ## Actor input object example ```json { "queryType": "activity", "keyword": "", "tags": "", "maxResults": 25, "minScore": 0, "includeAnswers": false, "maxAnswers": 3 } ```` # 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 = {}; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("fresh_cliff/stackoverflow-api-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 = {} # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("fresh_cliff/stackoverflow-api-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 '{}' | apify call fresh_cliff/stackoverflow-api-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fresh_cliff/stackoverflow-api-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Stack Overflow Scraper API - Search Questions, Answers & Trends", "description": "Extract Stack Overflow questions, answers, tags, votes, users, and comments via the Stack Exchange API. Fast JSON export, pagination, filters, date ranges, and keyword search. Ideal for analytics, AI training, and monitoring trends in developer Q&A data.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "jtcd78xRKMa7K64y7" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/fresh_cliff~stackoverflow-api-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-fresh_cliff-stackoverflow-api-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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/fresh_cliff~stackoverflow-api-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-fresh_cliff-stackoverflow-api-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/fresh_cliff~stackoverflow-api-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-fresh_cliff-stackoverflow-api-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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", "required": [ "queryType" ], "properties": { "queryType": { "title": "Query Type", "enum": [ "activity", "creation", "votes", "hot", "week", "month" ], "type": "string", "description": "Type of questions to scrape from Stack Overflow", "default": "activity" }, "keyword": { "title": "Keyword Search", "type": "string", "description": "Search questions by keyword in title or content (e.g., 'async await', 'docker kubernetes')", "default": "" }, "tags": { "title": "Tags Filter", "type": "string", "description": "Filter by tags (semicolon-separated, e.g., 'python;javascript;react')", "default": "" }, "maxResults": { "title": "Maximum Results", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 200, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of questions to extract (default: 25, max: 200 per run). Pay-per-result pricing applies.", "default": 25 }, "minScore": { "title": "Minimum Score", "minimum": 0, "type": "integer", "description": "Filter questions with minimum score (default: 0, no filter)", "default": 0 }, "includeAnswers": { "title": "Include Top Answers", "type": "boolean", "description": "Whether to fetch top answers for each question (slower but no extra cost)", "default": false }, "maxAnswers": { "title": "Max Answers per Question", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 10, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum top answers to fetch when Include Answers is enabled (default: 3)", "default": 3 } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```