Instagram Scraper CLI

Node.js tool which allows to download posts, stories and more from Instagram directly from terminal.

Supported components:

• Posts
• Tagged photos
• Stories
• Highlighted stories
• Followers
• Following

This tool does not rely on the Graph API for developers -- it uses user's browser session to authenticate HTTP requests in the same way a browser does while browsing Instagram (no OAuth token needed).

Since this tool requests data as logged user, it is possible to fetch data from private profiles as long as the user is accepted follower of a fetched account.

Cookies setup

Cookie data should be inserted into cookie attribute in credentials.json file. You do not need to pass whole cookie, the most important parameter is sessionid and it is required to authorize user requests by Instagram servers.

One of the easiest ways to access your cookies is using Chrome extension EditThisCookie. Just log onto your Instagram account and the extension should display sessionid among other Instagram related cookies. Then you should copy it and replace YOUR_SESSION_ID in credentials.json file.

{
  "cookie": "sessionid=YOUR_SESSION_ID"
}

The app will be working as long as your session remains active.

Running app

1. Installing dependencies npm install
2. Cookie setup (explained in the preceding section)
3. Running app node instagram.js [options]. All of the avaiable options are listed below:

Options:
  -h, --help                    Shows help
  -p, --posts [username]        Downloads posts of given user
  -t, --tagged [username]       Downloads tagged photos of given user
  -s, --stories [username]      Downloads stories of given user
  -S, --highlighted [username]  Downloads highlighted stories of given user
  -r, --followers [username]    Prints list of followers of given user
  -g, --following [username]    Prints list of following of given user

  -d, --destination [path]      Destination path (only for download commands)
  -i, --index [number]          Index of highlighted stories group (downloads all if not set)

Examples:

node instagram.js -p georgehotz

Downloads posts of user georgehotz and saves it in the current directory

node instagram.js -S apple -i 2 -d ~/Photos

Downloads the second group of highlighted stories of user apple and saves it into ~/Photos directory