Query Scrapfly Data as a MySQL Database in Node.js

Jerod Johnson
Jerod Johnson
Director, Technology Evangelism
Execute MySQL queries against Scrapfly data from Node.js.

You can use the SQL Gateway from the ODBC Driver for Scrapfly to query Scrapfly data through a MySQL interface. Follow the procedure below to start the MySQL remoting service of the SQL Gateway and start querying using Node.js.

Connect to Scrapfly Data

If you have not already done so, provide values for the required connection properties in the data source name (DSN). You can use the built-in Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to configure the DSN. This is also the last step of the driver installation. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for a guide to using the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure a DSN.

The Scrapfly API uses API Key authentication. The API key is passed as the key query parameter on every request.

Using API Key Authentication

Your Scrapfly API key is required to create a connection. To obtain your API key:

  1. Log into your Scrapfly account at scrapfly.io.
  2. Navigate to Dashboard and select API Keys.
  3. Copy your API key (begins with scp-live- for production or scp-test- for the test environment).

After obtaining your API key, set the following connection properties:

  • AuthScheme: Set this to APIKey.
  • APIKey: Set this to your Scrapfly API key.

Example connection string:

Profile=C:\profiles\Scrapfly.apip;AuthScheme=APIKey;ProfileSettings='APIKey=your_api_key';

Configure the SQL Gateway

See the SQL Gateway Overview to set up connectivity to Scrapfly data as a virtual MySQL database. You will configure a MySQL remoting service that listens for MySQL requests from clients. The service can be configured in the SQL Gateway UI.

Creating a MySQL Remoting Service in SQL Gateway (Salesforce is shown)

Query Scrapfly from Node.js

The following example shows how to define a connection and execute queries to Scrapfly with the mysql module. You will need the following information:

  • Host name or address, and port: The machine and port where the MySQL remoting service is listening for MySQL connections.
  • Username and password: The username and password of a user you authorized on the Users tab of the SQL Gateway.
  • Database name: The DSN you configured for the MySQL remoting service.

Connect to Scrapfly data and start executing queries with the code below:

var mysql      = require('mysql');
var connection = mysql.createConnection({
  host     : 'localhost',
  database : 'CData API Sys',
  port	   : '3306',
  user     : 'mysql_user',
  password : 'test'
});
connection.connect();
connection.query('SELECT * FROM Account', function(err, rows, fields) {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(rows);
});

connection.end();

Ready to get started?

Connect to live data from Scrapfly with the API Driver

Connect to Scrapfly