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You can turn an existing web scraper into an Apify Actor without copying its files into the Web IDE. In Apify Console, go to Actors → Develop new → Import from Git → GitHub, authorize the GitHub account, organization, or repository, and select the repository. Apify creates the Actor and stores the repository as its source. It normally builds from the repository’s default branch; change the branch in Source settings when your scraper lives elsewhere.

This guide covers public and private repositories, branches and monorepos, Docker requirements, automatic builds, CLI and CI deployments, and the failure modes that commonly make a Git push appear to do nothing.

What you need before importing

  • An Apify account.
  • Access to the Git repository and permission to authorize its GitHub account, organization, or repository for Apify.
  • An Actor-ready project. Apify’s source-type guidance requires a Dockerfile; the standard Node.js template commonly uses main.js and package.json, but your project may use different entry files.
  • A clear choice of branch (or tag) and, for a private repository, a deployment key.

Review the scraper locally first. Confirm that its start command exits with the expected status, dependencies install from a clean checkout, and all runtime configuration is supplied through environment variables or Actor input rather than files that are ignored by Git.

Create the Actor from GitHub in Apify Console

  1. Open the Actor creation flow. In Apify Console, open Actors, select Develop new, then choose Import from Git and GitHub.
  2. Authorize access. Approve Apify’s GitHub access for the account, organization, or selected repository that contains the scraper.
  3. Select the repository. Choosing a repository creates the Actor and links its source to that repository. You do not need to upload the project through the Web IDE.
  4. Inspect Source settings. The initial source points to the repository’s default branch. Select another branch if the scraper is maintained on develop, a release branch, or a tag.
  5. Build and run. Start a build for the new Actor, then run it with test input. Check the build log before diagnosing scraper behavior; a dependency or Docker failure is not a website-scraping failure.

Branch, tag, and directory selection

A Git-sourced Actor is cloned when Apify builds it. The branch selected in Source settings therefore determines which commit becomes the build context. A push to a different branch has no effect unless that branch is configured as the source.

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For a general Git source, Apify documents a fragment format that can identify both a revision and a subdirectory, such as #develop:some/dir. Use this when the scraper is not at the repository root or when a monorepo contains several Actors. The source documentation also describes selecting a directory and setting dockerContextDir so Docker builds with the intended context.

Monorepo checklist

  • Give each Actor its own directory and Dockerfile.
  • Set the source revision and subdirectory explicitly.
  • Set dockerContextDir to the directory whose Dockerfile and required files should be sent to the build.
  • Keep package-lock, requirements, or equivalent dependency-lock files inside the selected context, or adjust the build design so they are available.

Connect a private Git repository

A private repository needs a deployment key so Apify can clone it during a build. This changes repository access, not the Actor runtime.

  1. In the Actor’s source configuration, select the Git repository source type and choose a deployment key.
  2. Copy the deployment key’s public SSH key.
  3. In GitHub, open the repository’s Settings → Deploy keys, add the key, and leave it read-only unless your policy explicitly requires otherwise.
  4. Use the SSH-form Git URL in Apify’s source setting.
  5. Run a build and verify in the log that cloning succeeds before investigating application code.

Do not commit the private key, API tokens, cookies, or login credentials. Rotate a key if it was exposed, and keep scraper secrets in Apify environment or secret settings.

Will a Git push rebuild the Actor?

Only when automated builds are enabled for the relevant Actor version. Apify’s deployment documentation distinguishes a repository push from a build: with automated builds on, a push starts one; with manual builds, the repository changes but no build starts automatically.

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Automatic-build workflow

  1. Push to the branch configured in Source settings.
  2. Confirm that the Actor version has automated builds enabled.
  3. Watch the build created by the push and record its commit or revision.
  4. Run the newly built version with a small test input.

Manual-build workflow

Start a build in Console, call the Build Actor endpoint, or use the CLI command:

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Settings apply per Actor version, so verify the version that your schedules or API calls actually use. A successful Git push alone is not evidence that production is running the new code.

Git source versus CLI and CI deployment

Route Setup effort Build control Private repository Pre-build tests
Console GitHub import Lowest Actor build settings Deployment key for private sources Not automatically a full CI pipeline
Apify CLI Command-line setup Useful for scripted creation and builds Uses your configured Git and Apify credentials Can be composed with local scripts
External CI Highest Tests and custom steps before deployment CI secret plus repository access Yes

CLI route

The Apify CLI quick start documents apify create for creating an Actor and connecting a Git host. Once connected, a Git push can deploy and build the Git-sourced Actor according to its configuration. Use the CLI when your team prefers reproducible terminal workflows or wants creation and build commands in scripts.

CI route

For tests, linting, image checks, or custom release gates, keep deployment in your CI provider. Apify documents a .actor/actor.json configuration, a protected Apify API token, and the official apify/push-actor-action. A typical pipeline should install dependencies, run tests, then invoke the action only after those checks pass. Store the token as an encrypted CI secret, never in the repository.

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Docker and project layout requirements

Apify’s source-type guide states that a Dockerfile is mandatory for Actors. A minimal Dockerfile must install the scraper’s dependencies and define the process that starts it; the exact base image and command depend on your language and project.

FROM node:20-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --omit=dev
COPY . .
CMD ["node", "main.js"]

Treat this as a layout example, not a universal template. Use the runtime version your scraper supports, include system packages required by browser automation, and ensure the command keeps the Actor alive until the crawl finishes. Build locally from the same directory selected in Source settings to catch missing files caused by an incorrect Docker context.

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Validate the imported scraper

  1. Build from the intended branch or tag.
  2. Check the build log for clone, Docker, dependency, and startup errors.
  3. Run with a small URL set and conservative concurrency.
  4. Verify that output is written through the Actor’s supported storage or output mechanism rather than only to local disk.
  5. Compare the running revision with the Git commit you intended to deploy.
  6. Only then attach schedules, webhooks, or production callers.

Configuration that should not live in Git

  • Proxy credentials and API tokens.
  • Authenticated cookies or session exports.
  • Production database passwords.
  • Personal access tokens and private deployment keys.

Read these values from Actor environment or secret configuration and provide safe defaults that fail clearly when a required value is absent.

Troubleshooting common failures

Repository is missing from the GitHub picker

The GitHub authorization may cover your user account but not the organization or repository. Revisit the GitHub application’s repository selection, grant access to the correct organization, and restart the import flow.

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Private clone fails with permission denied

Confirm that the public deployment key was added to the exact repository, that it is read-only and active, and that the source uses the matching SSH URL. A key added to your personal account is not the same as a repository deploy key.

Push completed but no build appears

Check automated-build status for the specific Actor version and confirm that you pushed the configured branch. If builds are manual, start one in Console, through the Build Actor endpoint, or with apify actors build.

Build cannot find package files or the Dockerfile

The source may point at a subdirectory while Docker still uses the repository root, or the reverse. Correct the selected directory and dockerContextDir, then verify the files exist inside that context.

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Scraper works locally but not in the Actor

Compare runtime versions, installed system libraries, environment variables, working directory, network assumptions, and browser dependencies. Reproduce the build from a clean checkout instead of relying on packages or files present only on your workstation.

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FAQ

Can I link a repository without using GitHub?

Yes. The general Git source accepts a repository URL and can identify a branch or tag and subdirectory with the documented fragment format. GitHub import is simply the guided Console flow.

Does importing copy my source into Apify?

No. For Git-hosted deployment, Apify stores the repository URL and clones the source at build time.

Can one repository contain several Actors?

Yes, when each Actor’s source directory and Docker context are configured explicitly, including dockerContextDir where needed.

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Should production use a branch or a tag?

A protected release branch or immutable tag can make the deployed revision easier to audit. Whichever you choose, configure that exact revision in Source settings and verify it in build logs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I link a repository without using GitHub?

Yes. The general Git source accepts a repository URL and can identify a branch or tag and subdirectory with the documented fragment format.

Does importing copy my source into Apify?

No. Apify stores the repository URL and clones the source at build time.

Can one repository contain several Actors?

Yes, with explicit source-directory and Docker-context settings.

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