Instaloader is a Python library and command-line utility designed for the automated retrieval, archiving, and analysis of Instagram content. It provides a programmatic interface to fetch media, captions, and metadata from public or private profiles, hashtags, and stories, while maintaining persistent user sessions for authorized access.
The tool distinguishes itself through robust archive management and traffic control mechanisms. It supports incremental synchronization, allowing users to resume interrupted downloads and update local collections without redundant requests. To ensure reliable operation, it employs sliding window request throttling to manage network frequency and uses checkpointing to save state, which helps prevent service-side rate limiting and connection issues.
Beyond simple media collection, the project includes capabilities for social network analysis and data filtering. Users can map follower relationships, identify inactive accounts, and rank content based on engagement metrics. Data can be selectively retrieved using boolean logic based on timestamps or creator attributes, and metadata can be exported into structured formats using customizable templates for further analysis.
