Convert existing projects into Apify Actors - serverless cloud programs. Actorize JavaScript/TypeScript (SDK with Actor.init/exit), Python (async context manager), or any language (CLI wrapper). Use when migrating code to Apify, wrapping CLI tools as Actors, or adding Actor SDK to existing projects.
View on GitHubFebruary 3, 2026
Select agents to install to:
npx add-skill https://github.com/apify/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/apify-actorization/SKILL.md -a claude-code --skill apify-actorizationInstallation paths:
.claude/skills/apify-actorization/# Apify Actorization
Actorization converts existing software into reusable serverless applications compatible with the Apify platform. Actors are programs packaged as Docker images that accept well-defined JSON input, perform an action, and optionally produce structured JSON output.
## Quick Start
1. Run `apify init` in project root
2. Wrap code with SDK lifecycle (see language-specific section below)
3. Configure `.actor/input_schema.json`
4. Test with `apify run --input '{"key": "value"}'`
5. Deploy with `apify push`
## When to Use This Skill
- Converting an existing project to run on Apify platform
- Adding Apify SDK integration to a project
- Wrapping a CLI tool or script as an Actor
- Migrating a Crawlee project to Apify
## Prerequisites
Verify `apify` CLI is installed:
```bash
apify --help
```
If not installed:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Or (Mac): brew install apify-cli
# Or (Windows): irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
# Or: npm install -g apify-cli
```
Verify CLI is logged in:
```bash
apify info # Should return your username
```
If not logged in, check if `APIFY_TOKEN` environment variable is defined. If not, ask the user to generate one at https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations, then:
```bash
apify login -t $APIFY_TOKEN
```
## Actorization Checklist
Copy this checklist to track progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Analyze project (language, entry point, inputs, outputs)
- [ ] Step 2: Run `apify init` to create Actor structure
- [ ] Step 3: Apply language-specific SDK integration
- [ ] Step 4: Configure `.actor/input_schema.json`
- [ ] Step 5: Configure `.actor/output_schema.json` (if applicable)
- [ ] Step 6: Update `.actor/actor.json` metadata
- [ ] Step 7: Test locally with `apify run`
- [ ] Step 8: Deploy with `apify push`
## Step 1: Analyze the Project
Before making changes, understand the project:
1. **Identify the language** - JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, or other
2. **Find the entry point