POST /datasets/v3/trigger starts an asynchronous Scraper API collection and returns a snapshot_id. The example discovers Instagram profiles by username (gd_l1vikfch901nx3by4). To get the records in the same response instead, call POST /datasets/v3/scrape with the same query and body.
Scraper API output formats are NDJSON (default), JSON, JSON lines, CSV and Parquet. Each one has its own API value, and not every value is accepted everywhere:
Format
API value
format on /scrape
format on /trigger
deliver.filename.extension
NDJSON (default)
ndjson
Yes
Yes
Yes
JSON
json
Yes
Yes
Yes
JSON lines
jsonl
Yes
Yes
Yes
CSV
csv
Yes
Yes
Yes
Parquet
parquet
Not listed
Not listed
Yes
A /scrape request or a snapshot download with no format returns NDJSON, one record per line. Set format=json to get a JSON array instead. Verified on September 30, 2026.“Not listed” means the value is not in the API specification for that parameter. NDJSON and JSON lines are separate API values, ndjson and jsonl.Related guide: How to scrape in bulk with async requestsError messages and fixes: Scraper API error codes
The "custom_output_fields" parameter is used to filter the response data to include only the specified fields. You can list the output columns you want, separated by a pipe (|).
For example, if you want the response to include only the URL and the date it was last updated, you would set the parameter to "url|about.updated_on". This allows you to customize the data output to include only the fields relevant to your needs.
Set it to "discover_new" to trigger a collection that includes a discovery phase.
Enables a discovery phase that finds new entities or products using methods like search, categories, or keywords. Use this when collecting data where specific targets aren't known in advance. It will discover new information based on your provided inputs rather than working with predefined data points.
Specifies the method used for discovering new data during a collection. Here are some available options:
keyword: Uses keywords to discover new entities or products. Example: "smartphones" - This will trigger a collection to discover new smartphone products or entities.
best_sellers_url: Uses a URL that lists best-selling items to discover new products.
Example: "https://example.com/best-sellers" - This URL will be used to discover products listed as best sellers on the site.
category_url: Uses a URL that lists categories to discover new entities within those categories. Example: "https://example.com/electronics" - This URL will be used to discover new products within the electronics category.
location: Uses a location-based approach to discover entities relevant to that location. Example: "New York" - This will trigger a collection to discover data related to the specified location.
Include errors report with the results. By setting "include_errors" to true, you will receive a detailed report of any errors that occur during the data collection.
Limit the number of results per input. Sending limit_per_input in the request body, next to input, is recommended. The query parameter also caps results on /scrape and /trigger (verified September 30, 2026).
Specify whether notifications should be sent upon completion of the data collection job. When set to true, it enables notifications to be sent to the specified webhook, informing you about the status or completion of the collection.
Format of the delivered data: json, ndjson, jsonl or csv. To download the snapshot instead, set format on the download request; without it the download is NDJSON. For a Parquet file, deliver to storage with deliver.filename.extension set to parquet. See output formats.
A Snapshot ID is a unique identifier for a specific data snapshot, used to retrieve results from a data collection job triggered via the API. Read more about Snapshot ID.