ParseForge
MELPA Emacs Packages Scraper
parseforge/melpa-emacs-scraper
Developer toolsAutomationOther
Scrapes the MELPA Emacs Lisp package archive. Filter by keyword, sort by downloads, name, or version, and collect up to a million package metadata rows.
- Total users
- 2
- Monthly active
- 1
- Total runs
- 44
- Bookmarked
- 0
- Rating
- Not rated yet
- Last modified
- 12 days ago
Overview
MELPA Emacs Packages Scraper
Scrape MELPA Emacs packages by keyword, sorted by downloads, name, or version, up to a million per run. Each package comes with its description, version, dependencies, maintainers, and download counts. No login or API key. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.
MELPA is the largest package archive for Emacs, but browsing it means clicking through pages or parsing raw recipe files. This Actor reads the public package index directly, filters by name or description keyword, and returns each match in one fixed schema. It is the fastest way to get a clean dataset of Emacs packages for analysis, tooling, or research.
| Who uses it | What they scrape MELPA for |
|---|---|
| Emacs package maintainers | Monitor download trends and version changes for their own packages |
| Emacs enthusiasts | Discover new packages by keyword and popularity |
| Data analysts | Build datasets of Emacs package metadata for research |
| Tooling developers | Integrate package data into dashboards or recommendation engines |
What it does
This Actor collects MELPA Emacs packages by keyword, sorted by downloads, name, or version, and returns each one as a flat row.
- 🔍 Keyword filter: search by package name or description, e.g. lsp, magit, theme
- 📊 Sort options: order by most downloaded, name A-Z, or version
- ⚙️ Flexible limits: collect from 1 to 1,000,000 packages per run
- 📦 Structured output: each package as a flat row with description, version, dependencies, maintainers, and download counts
Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.
What you can do with MELPA data
📈 Track package popularity.
A maintainer runs the Actor weekly with their package name to see download counts and version changes over time.
🔎 Discover new tools.
An Emacs user searches for 'lsp' or 'theme' to find the most downloaded packages in that category.
📊 Build a package dataset.
A researcher collects all MELPA packages with dependencies and maintainers to analyze the Emacs ecosystem.
🛠️ Power a recommendation engine.
A developer integrates the Actor into a service that suggests Emacs packages based on keywords and popularity.
Why choose this scraper
| What you get | |
|---|---|
| No API key | MELPA has no official API; this Actor scrapes the public index directly |
| Up to 1M packages | Collect the entire MELPA archive in a single run |
| Clean schema | Every package returns the same fields, ready for analysis |
| Export anywhere | CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML for your workflow |
How it compares
This Actor and MELPA Scraper both scrape the MELPA package archive, but this Actor offers more flexible sorting and higher limits.
| Feature | ParseForge | MELPA Scraper |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword search | Yes | Yes |
| Sort by downloads | Yes | Not listed |
| Sort by name | Yes | Not listed |
| Sort by version | Yes | Not listed |
| Maximum packages up to 1,000,000 | Yes | Not listed |
| Download counts | Yes | Yes |
| Dependencies | Yes | Yes |
Configure the run
Drive the Actor with a keyword query, choose a sort order, and set the maximum number of packages to collect. Filters run as each package is read so only matches reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.
A first run with the defaults:
{
"maxItems": 10
}
A larger pull:
{
"maxItems": 200
}
Pricing
Pay-per-result: $0.021 per result collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.
| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $2.10 |
| 1,000 results | $21.00 |
| 10,000 results | $210.00 |
New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.
Free users
Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. Upgrade your Apify plan to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.
Run it
- Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit.
- Open the MELPA Emacs Packages Scraper.
- Set your inputs and any filters, then click Start.
- Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the Dataset tab.
Run it programmatically through the Apify API (run-sync-get-dataset-items) or the ApifyClient for JavaScript and Python.
Use with AI agents (MCP)
Give an AI agent live access to MELPA through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=parseforge/melpa-emacs-scraper"
Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.
Troubleshooting
Why am I getting no results?
Check your keyword. It must match a package name or description. Try a broader term or leave the query empty to list all packages.
The run is slow or times out.
Reduce the maximum packages or narrow your keyword. The Actor fetches each package's details, so large runs take longer.
Some packages are missing from the results.
MELPA updates frequently. Run the Actor again to get the latest index. If you used a keyword, ensure it matches the package's current description.
The download counts seem wrong.
Download counts are provided by MELPA and may be cached. They reflect the archive's own statistics, not real-time usage.
Can I get the source repository URL?
Yes, the Actor returns the source repository field for each package when available. Check the dataset for the 'source' or 'repo' column.
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is MELPA? | MELPA (Milkypostman's Emacs Lisp Package Archive) is the largest community-maintained package repository for Emacs. It hosts thousands of packages that extend the editor. |
| Do I need an API key or login? | No. The Actor scrapes the public MELPA package index directly, so no authentication is required. |
| Can I get all MELPA packages? | Yes. Set the maximum packages to 1,000,000 and leave the keyword empty to collect the entire archive. |
| What fields are returned for each package? | Each package row includes its name, description, version, dependencies, maintainers, source repository, and download count, among other metadata. |
| How do I filter by keyword? | Enter a keyword in the query field. The Actor matches it against package names and descriptions, so 'lsp' returns all packages related to the Language Server Protocol. |
| Can I sort the results? | Yes. Choose 'Most Downloaded', 'Name (A-Z)', or 'Version' in the sortBy field. |
| What output formats are supported? | The Actor exports to CSV, JSON, Excel, and XML, so you can use the data in any tool. |
| Is the data live? | Yes. Each run fetches the current MELPA index, so you always get up-to-date package information. |
| Can I schedule regular runs? | Yes. Use Apify's scheduler to run the Actor daily, weekly, or at any interval to track changes over time. |
| How many packages can I collect per run? | You can set the maximum from 1 to 1,000,000 packages. The default is 10. |
Related actors
Browse the full ParseForge collection for more scrapers.
🆘 Need help? Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.
⚠️ Disclaimer. This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by MELPA. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.
Input
| Field | Type | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| query | string | Optional keyword to filter packages by name or description (for example lsp, magit, theme). Leave empty to list all MELPA packages. | not set |
| sortBy | string (3 options) | How to order the packages. | downloads |
| maxItems | integer | How many packages to collect per run. | 10 |
Pricing
from $19.00 per 1,000 results
| Charged for | What it is | Price each |
|---|---|---|
| result | Single result in the default dataset. | $0.019 to $0.021 |
Tiered: the lower figure is the price on a higher Apify plan. Billing and the free credit live on Apify.
API
One POST returns the dataset directly. Same shape for every scraper in the library, so swapping the slug is the only change.
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/parseforge~melpa-emacs-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"helloWorld": 123
}' Examples
Input that runs as-is.
{
"helloWorld": 123
} Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first.
Issues
We build and maintain this scraper, so a problem with it comes to us. Report it on the Apify listing and the thread stays attached to the scraper where the next person can find it: open an issue.
Broken and urgent, or you would rather not post in public? Write to parseforge@protonmail.com and it reaches the people who wrote it.