AlterLab for AI Agents
Give your AI agent the ability to read any webpage. MCP Server for Claude and Cursor, Python and Node SDKs, n8n node, Firecrawl-compatible API. Clean markdown and JSON output designed for LLM consumption.
Every Integration You Need
Connect AlterLab to your AI stack in under 2 minutes. Six integration paths, one API key.
MCP Server
For Claude, Cursor, Copilot, Windsurf
Drop AlterLab directly into any MCP-compatible AI host. Claude, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and Windsurf can call scrape, batch_scrape, and check_job as native tools — no extra code, no glue layer.
- scrape(url, formats) — returns markdown, JSON, text
- batch_scrape(urls) — parallel, up to 100 URLs
- check_job(job_id) — async job status
- Anti-bot bypass & CAPTCHA solving included
Python SDK
For Python AI agent frameworks
pip install alterlab gives you a fully typed async Python client. Works with LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen, and any other Python AI framework. Built-in retry, timeout handling, and batch support.
- client.scrape(url) — sync and async
- client.batch(urls) — parallel batch mode
- Pydantic models for type-safe results
- Automatic retry on transient errors
Node.js SDK
For JavaScript/TypeScript AI agents
npm install @alterlab/sdk gives you a fully typed TypeScript client that works in Node.js, Bun, and edge runtimes. Integrates cleanly with the Vercel AI SDK, Mastra, and LangGraph.js.
- client.scrape(url, { formats }) — typed response
- client.batch(urls) — Promise.all under the hood
- Edge runtime compatible
- Full TypeScript types included
Firecrawl Compatible
Drop-in replacement
Already using Firecrawl? Switch to AlterLab by changing one line — the base URL. Same request shape, same response format, same markdown output. No SDK changes, no prompt engineering changes.
- Same /v1/scrape request shape
- Same markdown + JSON response format
- Swap API key, keep everything else
- Anti-bot bypass included at same price tier
n8n Node
For no-code AI automation
Install n8n-nodes-alterlab in your n8n instance and connect web scraping to any AI automation. Pairs with OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, and Pinecone nodes to build RAG pipelines and agent workflows without writing code.
- Scrape and Batch Scrape operations
- Visual credential management
- Works with all AI nodes in n8n
- Webhook-ready for async batch results
Browser Extension
BYOS — Bring Your Own Session
Capture session cookies from any logged-in site (LinkedIn, Amazon, Twitter, etc.) with one click, then pass them to the API via the cookies parameter. Your AI agent can now scrape authenticated pages without managing login flows.
- One-click cookie capture from active tab
- Encrypted export to JSON format
- Pass via cookies param in any SDK or REST
- Works with LinkedIn, Amazon, Twitter, Glassdoor
Claude reads the web in 2 minutes
The AlterLab MCP Server exposes three tools to your AI host: scrape, batch_scrape, and check_job. Claude, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and Windsurf call them natively — no glue code, no wrappers.
Install the server
npm install -g alterlab-mcp-serverAdd to your MCP host config
Claude Desktop, Cursor, Copilot, or Windsurf — each has a config file that lists MCP servers. Paste the snippet on the right.
Ask your AI to fetch
Say "scrape https://example.com and summarize it" — your AI calls AlterLab, gets markdown back, and reasons over it directly.
// .cursor/mcp.json (or Claude Desktop config)
{
"mcpServers": {
"alterlab": {
"command": "alterlab-mcp",
"env": {
"ALTERLAB_API_KEY": "sk_live_your_key"
}
}
}
}SDK Code Examples
Clean markdown and JSON out of the box. Feed it straight into your LLM context.
Python SDK
pip install alterlabfrom alterlab import AlterLab
client = AlterLab(api_key="sk_live_your_key")
# Fetch any URL as clean markdown for your LLM prompt
result = client.scrape(
"https://example.com",
formats=["markdown", "json"],
)
# result.markdown — clean text for LLM context
# result.json — structured metadata + links
print(result.markdown)Node.js SDK
npm install @alterlab/sdkimport { AlterLab } from "@alterlab/sdk";
const client = new AlterLab({ apiKey: "sk_live_your_key" });
// Batch scrape — runs in parallel
const results = await client.batch([
"https://example.com/page-1",
"https://example.com/page-2",
], { formats: ["markdown"] });
for (const result of results) {
console.log(result.markdown); // feed to your LLM
}Firecrawl Compatible
change one line# Before (Firecrawl)
import requests
response = requests.post(
"https://api.firecrawl.dev/v1/scrape",
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer fc-..."},
json={"url": "https://example.com", "formats": ["markdown"]},
)
# After (AlterLab — change one line)
response = requests.post(
"https://api.alterlab.io/v1/scrape", # ← only change
headers={"X-API-Key": "sk_live_..."}, # ← swap key
json={"url": "https://example.com", "formats": ["markdown"]},
)Built for AI Workloads
Not an afterthought. AlterLab is designed around the way AI agents consume web data.
Structured Output First
Every response includes clean markdown, plain text, and JSON metadata. No HTML parsing in your agent — just feed the result directly into your prompt or vector store.
Anti-Bot Bypass Included
AI agents often need data from protected sites. AlterLab auto-escalates through TLS fingerprinting, stealth browser, and CAPTCHA solving. Your agent doesn't need to know which tier was used.
Batch Mode for RAG Pipelines
Submit up to 100 URLs per batch call. Results arrive via polling or webhook. Designed for the parallel, async workload pattern that RAG indexing pipelines require.
Authenticated Scraping via BYOS
Capture session cookies once with the browser extension, pass them in the API request. Your agent can now access LinkedIn profiles, Amazon listings, and any other authenticated source.
Pay Only for Success
AlterLab only charges for requests that return content. If the target is unreachable or returns an error, you pay nothing. Predictable cost even at scale.
MCP-Native Tool Calling
Claude and Cursor call AlterLab as a native tool — the same way they use a calculator or file system. No prompt engineering, no custom function signatures, no wrapper code.
Frequently Asked Questions
AI Agent Resources
Web Scraping Pipelines for AI Agents
Optimize web data pipelines to reduce token waste and cost in LLM workflows.
Build an n8n Scraping Pipeline
Connect web scraping to AI automation nodes in n8n without code.
Authenticated Scraping — BYOS Guide
Capture session cookies and scrape behind logins in AI agent workflows.
REST API Docs
Full API reference — scrape, batch, async jobs, formats, and webhooks.
Your first scrape.
Sixty seconds.
$1 free balance. No credit card. No SDK.
Just a POST request.
No credit card required · Up to 5,000 free scrapes · Balance never expire