How it works
You send one or more LinkedIn URLs to the Bright Data LinkedIn Scraper API. Bright Data handles the scraping infrastructure and returns clean, structured JSON.dataset_id to specify the data type (profiles, companies, jobs, or posts) and return results in JSON, NDJSON, or CSV.
What the response looks like
A single record returned by the Bright Data LinkedIn Scraper API on September 6, 2026, trimmed to the fields shown. Run the request yourself in the quickstart.Supported data types
Profiles
Identity, location, current company, follower counts. Discover profiles by name or keyword.
Companies
Employee counts, funding data, specialties, affiliated organizations.
Jobs
Salary data, requirements, application links. Discover jobs by keyword or search URL.
Posts
Post content, engagement metrics, hashtags, comments. Discover posts by company or profile.
Request methods
The Bright Data Scraper API supports two request methods. Choose based on your volume and latency needs.
Learn more in Understanding sync vs. async requests.
Both endpoints accept the inputs as a bare JSON array, which is what every example on this page uses, or as an object with an
input array. Use the object form when you also send custom_output_fields or limit_per_input on either endpoint, or a deliver block on /trigger. See Request body.
Capabilities and limits
Common questions
Since November 13, 2025, LinkedIn has restricted public access to the Position, Experience and Education fields. Fill rates for those three dropped from 50-64 percent to roughly 2 percent, and they now return sticky data from cache rather than a fresh scrape. All other fields refresh normally. See LinkedIn data policy change for the full field status table and alternatives.
Is the data scraped in real time?
Yes. Each request triggers a live scrape, with one exception: the Position, Experience and Education fields have been served from cache since LinkedIn restricted them on November 13, 2025 (see the note above). Every other field is fresh. Processing time varies with target-site conditions and scraper workload. The Bright Data LinkedIn Scraper API does not publish a fixed response time. A synchronous request waits up to 1 minute, then returns HTTP202 with a snapshot_id and continues asynchronously. Discovery requests always run asynchronously and take longer depending on result volume.
Why do response times change over time?
LinkedIn changes how its pages are served, and the Bright Data LinkedIn Scraper API collectors are updated to match. A collector update can change how long a scrape takes even when the success rate stays the same. For production workloads, build against the async workflow or webhook delivery so a longer run does not break the integration.What is the difference between URL collection and discovery?
URL collection scrapes a specific LinkedIn page you provide (e.g., a profile URL). Discovery finds LinkedIn pages matching search criteria (e.g., “software engineers in San Francisco”) and scrapes the results. Discovery is accepted on both endpoints. On/scrape it usually runs past the 1-minute limit and returns HTTP 202 with a snapshot_id, so use the async /trigger endpoint for discovery.
How is this different from scraping using proxies or Web Unlocker API?
When scraping using proxies or Web Unlocker API, you still need to write and maintain your own parsing logic and update it whenever the target site changes its page structure. The Bright Data Scraper API handles the entire stack: proxy rotation, anti-bot bypassing and parsing. You send a URL or keyword and get clean, structured JSON back, with no scraping infrastructure or parser maintenance on your end.Next steps
Quickstart
Scrape your first LinkedIn profile in 5 minutes.
Endpoints
One request per endpoint, each with a captured response.
API reference
Endpoint specs, parameters, and response schemas.