Instagram Basic Scraper: How to Use and Where to Host
Instagram is a rich platform filled with visual content, but sometimes we need to gather data from profiles or hashtags for analysis or personal use. The Instagram Basic Scraper allows you to easily scrape posts, bios, and more from Instagram using a Telegram bot interface. In this article, we will explore how to use this tool, the features it offers, and where you can host it to keep it running 24/7.
Features of Instagram Basic Scraper
- Scrape Public Profiles: Get Instagram data from any public profile by providing the username.
- Scrape Private Profiles: Scrape private profile data if you follow the user.
- Download Posts: Easily download posts from profiles.
- Scrape Hashtags: Fetch posts related to a specific hashtag.
- Scrape Bio Information: Get bio information from any Instagram profile.
- Stop Scraping at Any Time: Use the `/stop` command to stop the scraping process when needed.
All these actions are performed through simple Telegram bot commands, making the tool user-friendly and efficient.
How to Use Instagram Basic Scraper
Using the Instagram Basic Scraper is simple and requires some setup. Follow the steps below to get started:
1. Clone the Repository
The first step is to clone the repository from GitHub to your local machine. Open your terminal and run the following command:
git clone https://github.com/xagergaming/instagram-basic-scraper.git2. Install Required Libraries
Navigate to the cloned directory and install the required Python libraries:
pip install instaloader pyTelegramBotAPI requests3. Create a Telegram Bot
You'll need a Telegram bot to interact with the scraper. Follow these steps to create one:
- Open Telegram and search for BotFather.
- Follow the instructions to create a new bot and get the API token.
- Replace the token in the script's `scraper.py` file with your bot's token:
bot = telebot.TeleBot("YOUR_TELEGRAM_BOT_API_TOKEN")4. Start the Script
Now you can start the script and begin interacting with the bot:
python scraper.pyOnce the script is running, open Telegram, find your bot, and send `/start`. You can then use the following commands to begin scraping:
/public: Scrape a public profile./private: Scrape a private profile (if you follow them)./posts: Download posts from the selected profile./hashtag: Scrape posts from a specific hashtag./bio: Scrape the bio of the profile./all: Scrape all available data from the profile./stop: Stop the current scraping process.
Customizing the Code
The Instagram Basic Scraper can be customized to suit your needs. You can add more scraping options or modify the existing ones. For example, you can change the scraping commands by modifying the `scraper.py` file.
Example: Adding a Command for Stories
To add a new command to scrape Instagram stories, edit the bot commands like this:
def scrape_stories(username):
L = instaloader.Instaloader()
L.load_session_from_file('your_instagram_username')
L.download_stories([username], fast_update=True)
Then, add a button for stories in the bot interface, and you're good to go!
Where to Host the Instagram Basic Scraper
To keep your scraper running 24/7, you will need to host it. Here are some options:
1. Heroku
Heroku is a popular free hosting platform that supports Python apps. You can deploy the Instagram Basic Scraper on Heroku and keep it running without the need for your local machine.
2. PythonAnywhere
PythonAnywhere is another free hosting platform designed for Python applications. You can host your scraper here and schedule tasks to keep the bot active.
3. VPS (Virtual Private Server)
If you're looking for a more robust solution, you can rent a VPS from providers like DigitalOcean, Linode, or AWS, where you can run the scraper 24/7.
Conclusion
The Instagram Basic Scraper is a powerful and easy-to-use tool for scraping Instagram data. With features like public and private profile scraping, hashtag scraping, and bio extraction, it covers all basic needs. You can further customize it to suit your needs and host it on platforms like Heroku or PythonAnywhere to keep it running continuously.
Ready to start scraping? Head over to the GitHub repository and try it out today!
