# DEV.to Scraper (`plantane/devto-scraper`) Actor

Scrape articles, search results, and tags from DEV.to (dev.to). Supports latest, top, by tag, by username, search, and tag listing. Uses the official Forem API for fast, reliable data extraction.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/plantane/devto-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Daniel](https://apify.com/plantane) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation, Other
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 4 total users, 0 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/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
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.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## 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.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## DEV.to Scraper

Apify Actor that scrapes articles, search results, and tags from [DEV.to](https://dev.to) using the official Forem API.

### Features

- **List articles** — latest, top (week/month/year), filtered by tag or username
- **Search articles** — full-text search via the DEV.to search API
- **List tags** — popular tags with metadata
- **Optional full body** — fetch complete article markdown (one extra API call per article)

### Input

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|---------|-------------|
| `mode` | string | `articles` | `articles`, `search`, or `tags` |
| `sort` | string | `latest` | `latest`, `top_week`, `top_month`, `top_year` |
| `tag` | string | | Filter by tag (articles mode) |
| `username` | string | | Filter by author (articles mode) |
| `query` | string | | Search query (search mode) |
| `max_items` | integer | 10 | Maximum items to return |
| `include_body` | boolean | false | Fetch full article body (slower) |

### Output

Each article includes: `id`, `title`, `url`, `author`, `author_username`, `tags`, `published_at`, `reading_time_minutes`, `reactions_count`, `comments_count`, `description`, `cover_image`.

Tags include: `id`, `name`, `bg_color_hex`, `text_color_hex`, `short_summary`.

### API

Uses the [Forem API v1](https://developers.forem.com/api/v1) — no API key required, no browser needed.

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

What to scrape from DEV.to.

## `sort` (type: `string`):

How to sort articles. 'latest' returns newest first. 'top_week', 'top_month', 'top_year' return top articles for the period.

## `tag` (type: `string`):

Filter articles by tag (e.g. 'python', 'javascript'). Only used in articles mode.

## `username` (type: `string`):

Filter articles by author username (e.g. 'ben'). Only used in articles mode.

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

Search query string. Only used in search mode.

## `max_items` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of items to return.

## `include_body` (type: `boolean`):

Fetch full article body/markdown for each article. Slower — requires one API call per article.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "articles",
  "sort": "latest",
  "tag": "",
  "username": "",
  "query": "",
  "max_items": 10,
  "include_body": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

DEV.to articles, search results, or tags.

# 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 = {
    "max_items": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("plantane/devto-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 = { "max_items": 10 }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("plantane/devto-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 '{
  "max_items": 10
}' |
apify call plantane/devto-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,plantane/devto-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/ldJbYCzLt3VLjzz0g/builds/CQCf2CzRPGz1hOQcv/openapi.json