How do Instagram scraping APIs handle proxies and CAPTCHAs? #3
Description
Question
How do Instagram scraping APIs handle proxies and CAPTCHAs?
Answer
Proxies are configured per-request or as sticky sessions to distribute traffic and reduce fingerprint clustering. Residential/mobile proxies provide higher trust; the API randomizes user-agents, TLS fingerprints (via browser engines), and adds jittered delays. On detection events (429/Challenge), the API backs off, rotates identities, and refreshes cookies. For CAPTCHAs, a pluggable adapter sends the challenge to a solver (e.g., 2Captcha/CapMonster) and retries with the solved token. All attempts are logged; excessive challenges trigger circuit breakers and quarantine of “burned” identities.