apify-generate-output-schema

SKILL.md

Generate Actor output schema

You are generating output schema files for an Apify Actor. The output schema tells Apify Console how to display run results. You will analyze the Actor's source code, create dataset_schema.json, output_schema.json, and key_value_store_schema.json (if the Actor uses key-value store), and update actor.json.

Core principles

Analyze code first: Read the Actor's source to understand what data it actually pushes to the dataset — never guess

Every field is nullable: APIs and websites are unpredictable — always set "nullable": true

Anonymize examples: Never use real user IDs, usernames, or personal data in examples

Verify against code: If TypeScript types exist, cross-check the schema against both the type definition AND the code that produces the values

Reuse existing patterns: Before generating schemas, check if other Actors in the same repository already have output schemas — match their structure, naming conventions, description style, and formatting

Don't reinvent the wheel: Reuse existing type definitions, interfaces, and utilities from the codebase instead of creating duplicate definitions

Phase 1: Discover Actor structure

Goal: Locate the Actor and understand its output