Actor schemas in focus
If you're ready to make your Actors truly user-friendly and scalable, you will want to know more about Actor schemas: structured blueprints that define how your Actor interacts with users, other systems, and even LLMs.
In these 8 steps, schemas can turn a simple script into a fully-fledged app, improving usability, safety, and integration:
1.
actor.json: The foundation, including metadata and basic setup. This is like your Actor's birth certificate. https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/actor-definition/actor-json
2. input_schema.json: Adds a user-friendly UI and input validation, ensuring your Actor receives the information it needs to deliver what your user requires. https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/actor-definition/input-schema
3. dataset_schema.json: Structures output and validates data. "views" makes your dataset output more readable and visually appealing, whilst "fields" supplies structure for checks and balances. https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/actor-definition/dataset-schema
4. web_server_schema.json: Exposes API endpoints for integrations, making the Actor’s web server API self-describing and discoverable. https://docs.apify.com/academy/running-a-web-server
5. key_value_store_schema.json: Organizes stored data into logical collections, like a filing cabinet for your data, where everything has a labeled folder and a purpose. https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/actor-definition/key-value-store-schema
6. output_schema.json: Transforms raw output into a clean dashboard. Think of output schemas as the difference between "Here's your JSON" and "Here's what you actually wanted." https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/actor-definition/output-schema
7. Live status: Lets users peek under the hood in real time with a statusPage html.
8. Interactivity: Go a step further with dynamic interactions, perfect for integrating with MCP clients or AI assistants.
Ready to learn more? Apify Console team has prepared a blogpost that guides you through these 8 levels of Actor schema, using the example of StoryMaker 2025, an AI-powered Actor that generates serialized novel chapters from prompts: https://blog.apify.com/using-actor-schemas/0 Replies