# Class Central Search Scraper (`powerai/classcentral-search-scraper`) Actor

Scrape course listings from Class Central by search URL, with automatic load-more and course details extraction.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/powerai/classcentral-search-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [PowerAI](https://apify.com/powerai) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, E-commerce, Other
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 0 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $4.99 / 1,000 results

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/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

## Class Central Search Scraper

This actor helps you collect course listings from Class Central. You provide a search URL (for example, a search for "python" or "data science"), and the actor returns course titles, providers, descriptions, ratings, workload, start dates, and pricing.

### Features

- **URL-based search:** Use any Class Central search results URL.
- **Automatic pagination:** More courses are loaded by clicking "Load more" until the end or your chosen limit.
- **Structured course data:** Each item includes course title, link, image, institution, provider, rating, description, workload, start date, and pricing when available.

### Input Parameters

| Field       | Type    | Required | Description                                      |
|------------|---------|----------|--------------------------------------------------|
| `searchUrl`| string  | Yes      | Full Class Central search results URL to scrape |
| `maxItems` | integer | No       | Maximum number of courses to fetch (default: 50)|

### Output

Each output item includes:

- `courseUrl`: Link to the course page on Class Central
- `courseTitle`: Name of the course
- `courseImageUrl`: Course image URL when available
- `institution`: University or institution name when available
- `provider`: Platform name (e.g. Coursera, edX)
- `ratingText`: Star rating text when available
- `description`: Short course description
- `workload`: Duration or hours when available
- `startDate`: Start date or "On-Demand" when available
- `pricing`: Free, paid, or price when available
- `courseCount`: Number of courses in a program when applicable
- `scrapedAt`: When the item was scraped

### Use Cases

- Discovering online courses by topic or keyword
- Comparing courses across providers and institutions
- Building course catalogs or recommendation lists
- Researching learning options for a subject

# Actor input Schema

## `searchUrl` (type: `string`):

The full Class Central search results URL to scrape (e.g. search for a topic like python, data science, or machine learning).

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of courses to fetch. Leave higher to get more results until the list ends.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Proxy settings for the actor.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchUrl": "https://www.classcentral.com/search?q=python",
  "maxItems": 50
}
```

# 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 = {
    "searchUrl": "https://www.classcentral.com/search?q=python",
    "maxItems": 50
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("powerai/classcentral-search-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 = {
    "searchUrl": "https://www.classcentral.com/search?q=python",
    "maxItems": 50,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("powerai/classcentral-search-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 '{
  "searchUrl": "https://www.classcentral.com/search?q=python",
  "maxItems": 50
}' |
apify call powerai/classcentral-search-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=powerai/classcentral-search-scraper",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/ZePEezvUfeerhpkiF/builds/eyVBkArLGWsV2Mbhp/openapi.json