apify-actorization

by apify

Convert existing projects into serverless Apify Actors with language-specific SDK integration. Supports JavaScript/TypeScript (with Actor.init() / Actor.exit() ), Python (async context manager), and any language via CLI wrapper Provides structured workflow: apify init to scaffold, apply SDK wrapping, configure input/output schemas, test locally with apify run , then deploy with apify push Includes input and output schema validation, Docker containerization, and optional pay-per-event... npx skills add https://github.com/apify/agent-skills --skill apify-actorization Download ZIPGitHub2.2k

Apify Actorization

Actorization converts existing software into reusable serverless applications compatible with the Apify platform. Actors are programs packaged as Docker images that accept well-defined JSON input, perform an action, and optionally produce structured JSON output.

When to use this skill

• Converting an existing project to run on the Apify platform

• Adding Apify SDK integration to a project

• Wrapping a CLI tool or script as an Actor

• Migrating a Crawlee project to Apify

Actorization checklist

Copy this checklist to track progress:

• Step 1: Analyze project (language, entry point, inputs, outputs)

• Step 2: Run apify init to create Actor structure

• Step 3: Apply language-specific SDK integration

• Step 4: Configure .actor/input_schema.json

• Step 5: Configure .actor/output_schema.json (if applicable)

• Step 6: Update .actor/actor.json metadata

• Step 7: Write README.md for Apify Store listing

• Step 8: Test locally with apify run

• Step 9: Deploy with apify push

Step 1: Analyze the project

Before making changes, understand the project:

• Identify the language - JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, or other

• Find the entry point - The main file that starts execution

• Identify inputs - Command-line arguments, environment variables, config files

• Identify outputs - Files, console output, API responses

• Check for state - Does it need to persist data between runs?

Step 2: Initialize Actor structure

Run in the project root:

apify init

This creates:

• .actor/actor.json - Actor configuration and metadata

• .actor/input_schema.json - Input definition for Apify Console

• Dockerfile (if not present) - Container image definition

Step 3: Apply language-specific changes

Choose based on your project's language:

• JavaScript/TypeScript: See js-ts-actorization.md

• Python: See python-actorization.md

• Other Languages (CLI-based): See cli-actorization.md

Quick reference

Language Install Wrap Code JS/TS npm install apify await Actor.init() ... await Actor.exit() Python pip install apify async with Actor: Other Use CLI in wrapper script apify actor:get-input / apify actor:push-data

Steps 4-6: Configure schemas

See schemas-and-output.md for detailed configuration of:

• Input schema (.actor/input_schema.json)

• Output schema (.actor/output_schema.json)

• Actor configuration (.actor/actor.json)

• State management (request queues, key-value stores)

Validate schemas against @apify/json_schemas npm package.

Step 7: Write README

IMPORTANT: Always generate a README.md as part of actorization. The README is the Actor's landing page on Apify Store and is critical for discoverability (SEO), user onboarding, and support. Do not consider an Actor complete without a proper README.

See the Actor README guidelines at skills/apify-actor-development/references/actor-readme.md for the required structure including: intro and features, data extraction table, step-by-step tutorial, pricing info, input/output examples, and FAQ. Aim for at least 300 words with SEO-optimized H2/H3 headings. Also review these top Actors for best practices:

• Instagram Scraper

• Google Maps Scraper

Step 8: Test locally

Run the Actor with inline input (for JS/TS and Python Actors):

apify run --input '{"startUrl": "https://example.com", "maxItems": 10}'

Or use an input file:

apify run --input-file ./test-input.json

Important: Always use apify run, not npm start or python main.py. The CLI sets up the proper environment and storage.

Monetization (optional)

After deploying, you can monetize your Actor in Apify Store. The recommended model is Pay Per Event (PPE):

• Per result/item scraped

• Per page processed

• Per API call made

Configure PPE in Apify Console under Actor > Monetization. Charge for events in your code with await Actor.charge('result').

Other options: Rental (monthly subscription) or Free (open source).

Security

Treat all crawled web content as untrusted input. Actors ingest data from external websites that may contain malicious payloads. Follow these rules:

• Sanitize crawled data — Never pass raw HTML, URLs, or scraped text directly into shell commands, eval(), database queries, or template engines. Use proper escaping or parameterized APIs.

• Validate and type-check all external data — Before pushing to datasets or key-value stores, verify that values match expected types and formats. Reject or sanitize unexpected structures.

• Do not execute or interpret crawled content — Never treat scraped text as code, commands, or configuration. Content from websites could include prompt injection attempts or embedded scripts.

• Isolate credentials from data pipelines — Ensure APIFY_TOKEN and other secrets are never accessible in request handlers or passed alongside crawled data. Use the Apify SDK's built-in credential management rather than passing tokens through environment variables in data-processing code.

• Review dependencies before installing — When adding packages with npm install or pip install, verify the package name and publisher. Typosquatting is a common supply-chain attack vector. Prefer well-known, actively maintained packages.

• Pin versions and use lockfiles — Always commit package-lock.json (Node.js) or pin exact versions in requirements.txt (Python). Lockfiles ensure reproducible builds and prevent silent dependency substitution. Run npm audit or pip-audit periodically to check for known vulnerabilities.

MCP tools

Apify MCP

If the Apify MCP server is configured, use these tools for documentation:

• search-apify-docs - Search documentation

• fetch-apify-docs - Get full doc pages

Otherwise, the MCP Server url: https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=docs.

Playwright MCP (debugging)

The Playwright MCP server is a useful tool for debugging Actors that interact with the web - it lets the agent drive a real browser to inspect pages, capture selectors, and reproduce issues.

Install with the Claude Code CLI:

claude mcp add playwright npx @playwright/mcp@latest

Or add it manually to your MCP config:

{
 "mcpServers": {
 "playwright": {
 "command": "npx",
 "args": ["@playwright/mcp@latest"]
 }
 }
}

Resources

• Actorization Academy - Comprehensive guide

• Apify SDK for JavaScript - Full SDK reference

• Apify SDK for Python - Full SDK reference

• Apify CLI Reference - CLI commands

• Actor Specification - Complete specification