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docs: restructure content #1283

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docs: restructure content with enhanced organization & guidelines
TC-MO Nov 12, 2024
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add tip title
TC-MO Nov 12, 2024
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remove unnecessary empty space
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111 changes: 57 additions & 54 deletions sources/academy/platform/get_most_of_actors/actor_readme.md
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Expand Up @@ -5,93 +5,96 @@ sidebar_position: 2
slug: /get-most-of-actors/actor-readme
---

# Actor README

**Learn how to write a comprehensive README to help users better navigate, understand and run public Actors in Apify Store.**

---

- It should also be a "template" for developers developing new public Actors so that they have a structure and guidance for writing the README.
- The goal is to ensure that more people will understand and run their Actors.
- Whenever you build an Actor, think of the original request/idea and the "use case" = "user need" it should solve, please take notes and share them with Apify, so we can help you write a blog post supporting your Actor with more information, more detailed explanation, better SEO.
- Consider adding a video, images, and screenshots to your README to break up the text.
- This is an example of an Actor with a README that corresponds well to the guidelines below:
- [apify.com/tri_angle/airbnb-scraper](https://apify.com/tri_angle/airbnb-scraper)
- Tip no.1: if you want to add snippets of code anywhere in your README, you can use [Carbon](https://github.com/carbon-app/carbon).
- Tip no.2: if you need any quick Markdown guidance, check out https://www.markdownguide.org/cheat-sheet/

>
> 🦾 **No time for writing?** Our [README Generator](https://apify.com/apify/actor-readme-generator) will create a new README out of thin air following the template below ⬇️
>
## Why README is important

Writing a comprehensive README is crucial for helping users understand, navigate, and run your public Actors on the Apify Store. This guide provides a structured template and best practices to ensure your README is informative, and developer-friendly.

:::note README generator Actor

🦾 **No time for writing?** Our [README Generator](https://apify.com/apify/actor-readme-generator) will create a new README out of thin air following the template below ⬇️>

:::

### What does the Actor do

In 1 to 2 sentences, describe what the Actor does. Consider adding relevant keywords like "API" or the target website's name. Always include a link to the target website in this section.

### Why use this Actor

Explain how the Actor can benefit the user, including potential business use cases. Link to any relevant success stories, use cases, or blog posts that showcase the Actor's value.

### Cost estimation

Provide an explanation of the requeired proxy types & an estimate of the platform credits needed for a specific number of results, such as _1000_. You can include a table or example calculation to illustrate the cost.

:::info How much will it cost to scrape Google Maps reviews?

Apify provides you with $5 free usage credits to use every month on the Apify Free plan and you can get up to _10,000_ reviews from this [Google Maps Reviews Scraper](https://apify.com/compass/google-maps-reviews-scraper) for those credits.

## What should you add to your Actor README?
:::

Aim for sections 1–6 below and try to include at least 300 words. You can move the sections around to some extent if it makes sense, e.g. 3 might come after 6. Consider using emojis as bullet points or otherwise trying to break up the text.
### How to scrape the target website

1. **What does (Actor name) do?**
Link to any existing "How to" blogs or tutorials related to the Actor. Consider adding a video tutorial or GIF showcasing an ideal Actor run.

- in 1–2 sentences describe what the Actor does and what it does not do
- consider adding keywords like API, e.g. Instagram API
- always have a link to the target website in this section
:::tip Automatic YouTube URL embed

2. **Why use (Actor name)? or Why scrape (target site)?**
For better user experience, Apify Console automatically renders every YouTube URL as an embedded video player. Add a separate line with the URL of your YouTube video. <br/>Check the example below for reference.
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- How it can be beneficial for the user
- Business use cases
- Link to a success story, a business use case, or a blog post.
```text
Watch this video for guidance:

3. **How much will it cost to scrape (target site)?**
<YOUR-VIDEO-LINK-HERE>
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How come this is not https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8E0CbYZcjE

```

- Explanation of what type of proxies are needed and how many platform credits (calculated mainly from consumption units) are needed for 1000 results.
- This is calculated from carrying out several runs (or from runs saved in the DB).<!-- @Zuzka can help if needed. [Information in this table](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NOkob1eYqTsRPTVQdltYiLUsIipvSFXswRcWQPtCW9M/edit#gid=1761542436), tab "cost of usage". -->
- Here’s an example for this section:
:::

> ## How much will it cost me to scrape Google Maps reviews?
>
> <br/> Apify provides you with $5 free usage credits to use every month on the Apify Free plan and you can get up to 100,000 reviews from this Google Maps Reviews Scraper for those credits. This means 100k results will be completely free!
> <br/> But if you need to get more data or to get your data regularly you should grab an Apify subscription. We recommend our $49/month Starter plan - you can get up to 1 million Google Maps reviews every month with the $49 monthly plan! Or 10 million with the $499 Scale plan - wow!
You can also include a numbered tutorial, as Google sometimes displays these as rich snippets in search results.

4. **How to scrape (target site)**
![How to scrape a website - numbered tutorial](./images/how-to-scrape-target-site.webp)

- Link to "How to…" blogs, if one exists (or suggest one if it doesn't)
### Legal considerations

- Add a video tutorial or GIF from an ideal Actor run.
Include a boilerplate text addressing the legality of scraping the target website. Emphasize that the Actor does not extract private user data and only collects publicly available information. Remind users to consult their legal team if they are unsure about the legitimacy of their scraping purposes.

> Tip: For better user experience, Apify Console automatically renders every YouTube URL as an embedded video player. Add a separate line with the URL of your YouTube video.
:::warning Example boilerplate text

- Consider adding a short numbered tutorial as Google will sometimes pick these up as rich snippets. Remember that this might be in search results, so you can repeat the name of the Actor and give a link, e.g.
Our scrapers are ethical and do not extract any private user data, such as email addresses, gender, or location. They only extract what the user has chosen to share publicly. We therefore believe that our scrapers, when used for ethical purposes by Apify users, are safe. However, you should be aware that your results could contain personal data. Personal data is protected by the [GDPR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation) in the European Union and by other regulations around the world. You should not scrape personal data unless you have a legitimate reason to do so. If you're unsure whether your reason is legitimate, consult your lawyers. You can also read our blog post on the [legality of web scraping](https://blog.apify.com/is-web-scraping-legal/)

![How to scrape a website - numbered tutorial](./images/how-to-scrape-target-site.webp)
:::

5. **Is it legal to scrape (target site)?**
### Input parameters

- This can be used as a boilerplate text for the legal section, but you should use your own judgement and also customize it with the site name.
Refer to the Actor's input tab on the detail page. You can include a screenshot showing the input fields for better clarity.

> Our scrapers are ethical and do not extract any private user data, such as email addresses, gender, or location. They only extract what the user has chosen to share publicly. We therefore believe that our scrapers, when used for ethical purposes by Apify users, are safe. However, you should be aware that your results could contain personal data. Personal data is protected by the [GDPR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation) in the European Union and by other regulations around the world. You should not scrape personal data unless you have a legitimate reason to do so. If you're unsure whether your reason is legitimate, consult your lawyers. You can also read our blog post on the [legality of web scraping](https://blog.apify.com/is-web-scraping-legal/)
:::info Example of input schema

6. **Input**
Twitter Scraper has the following input options. Click on the [input tab](https://apify.com/quacker/twitter-scraper/input-schema) for more information.

- Refer to the input tab on Actor's detail page. If you like, you can add a screenshot showing the user what the input fields will look like.
- This is an example of how to refer to the input tab:
:::

> Twitter Scraper has the following input options. Click on the [input tab](https://apify.com/quacker/twitter-scraper/input-schema) for more information.
### Output Data

7. **Output**
Mention that the extracted dataset can be downloaded in various formats such as `JSON`, `HTML`,or `CSV`. Provide a simplified `JSON` dataset example to illustrate the output structure, check [this Actor](https://apify.com/compass/crawler-google-places#output-example) for an example.
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There's a missing whitespace after the comma, but when suggesting that, I realized I wouldn't treat the abbreviations as code blocks. These are very common abbreviations in the programming world and I wouldn't think they deserve such emphasis.

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Mention that the extracted dataset can be downloaded in various formats such as `JSON`, `HTML`,or `CSV`. Provide a simplified `JSON` dataset example to illustrate the output structure, check [this Actor](https://apify.com/compass/crawler-google-places#output-example) for an example.
Mention that the extracted dataset can be downloaded in various formats such as JSON, HTML, or CSV. Provide a simplified JSON dataset example to illustrate the output structure, check [this Actor](https://apify.com/compass/crawler-google-places#output-example) for an example.

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After some consideration, that makes sense and I agree


- Mention "You can download the dataset extracted by (Actor name) in various formats such as JSON, HTML, CSV, or Excel.”
- Add a simplified JSON dataset example, like here: [apify.com/compass/crawler-google-places#output-example](https://apify.com/compass/crawler-google-places#output-example)
### Tips & advanced options

8. **Tips or Advanced options section**
- Share any tips on how to best run the Actor, such as how to limit compute unit usage, get more accurate results, or improve speed.
Share any tips or advanced options for running the Actor more effectively, such as limiting compute unit usage, improving accuracy, or increasing speed.

If you want some general tips on how to make GitHub README that stands out, check out these guides. Not everything in there will be suitable for an Apify Actor README, so you should cherry-pick what you like and use your imagination.
If applicable, provide information on creating a tutorial for the Actor or any other resources that users might find helpful.

<br />
If you want some general tips on how to make GitHub README that stands out, check out these guides.

[Build a Stunning README For Your GitHub Profile](https://towardsdatascience.com/build-a-stunning-readme-for-your-github-profile-9b80434fe5d7)
- [Build a Stunning README For Your GitHub Profile](https://towardsdatascience.com/build-a-stunning-readme-for-your-github-profile-9b80434fe5d7)
- [How to Create a Beautiful README for Your GitHub Profile](https://yushi95.medium.com/how-to-create-a-beautiful-readme-for-your-github-profile-36957caa711c)

[How to Create a Beautiful README for Your GitHub Profile](https://yushi95.medium.com/how-to-create-a-beautiful-readme-for-your-github-profile-36957caa711c)
Not everything in there will be suitable for an Actor README, so you should cherry-pick what you like and use your imagination.
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I think most of it won't be suitable, because those two articles talk about GitHub profile README, where you present yourself, not a GitHub repository README, where you present your project.

We could link to https://opensource.guide/starting-a-project/#writing-a-readme instead, which links https://www.makeareadme.com/ or https://gist.github.com/PurpleBooth/109311bb0361f32d87a2, but surely there are plenty of other articles which talk about how to make a good project README.


## Next up {#next}
### Next steps

If you followed all the tips described above, your Actor README is almost good to go! In the [next lesson](./guidelines_for_writing.md) we will give you a few instructions on how you can create a tutorial for your Actor.