Web Scraping & Data Extraction Glossary
This glossary provides definitions for common terms used in web scraping, data extraction, and API integration. Use it as a reference to better understand the terminology in the field of web data collection.
A
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of protocols, routines, and tools that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. In web scraping, APIs provide a structured way to access data from websites.
apiAPI Key
A unique identifier used to authenticate requests to an API. API keys help control access and track usage.
apiAnti-Scraping Measures
Technologies and strategies used by websites to detect and block automated data extraction. These can include IP blocking, CAPTCHAs, and behavior analysis.
generalC
CSS Selector
A pattern used to select HTML elements based on their CSS properties. CSS selectors are widely used in web scraping to target specific elements for data extraction.
scrapingCAPTCHA
A challenge-response test used to determine whether the user is human or a bot. Websites use CAPTCHAs to prevent automated scraping.
generalCookies
Small pieces of data stored by websites on the user's device. Handling cookies correctly is important in web scraping, especially for sites that require authentication.
generalD
Data Extraction
The process of retrieving specific data from unstructured or semi-structured sources (like websites) and converting it into a structured format for analysis or storage.
dataData Mining
The process of discovering patterns, correlations, and insights from large data sets. Web scraping is often a preliminary step in the data mining process.
dataDOM (Document Object Model)
A programming interface for HTML and XML documents that represents the page structure as a tree of objects. Web scrapers often interact with the DOM to extract data.
scrapingData Normalization
The process of organizing data to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity. This is often performed after scraping to prepare data for analysis.
dataE
Endpoint
A specific URL within an API that represents a specific function or resource. Each endpoint performs a specific action or returns specific data.
apiETL (Extract, Transform, Load)
The process of extracting data from various sources, transforming it into a suitable format, and loading it into a target system. Web scraping often serves as the extraction phase of ETL.
dataH
HTML Parsing
The process of analyzing an HTML document by identifying its elements, attributes, and content. It's a fundamental part of web scraping.
scrapingHeadless Browser
A web browser without a graphical user interface that can be controlled programmatically. Headless browsers are often used for scraping dynamic websites that depend on JavaScript execution.
scrapingHTTP Status Codes
Numerical codes that indicate the result of an HTTP request. Common codes in web scraping include 200 (Success), 403 (Forbidden), and 429 (Too Many Requests).
generalJ
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
A lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate. Many APIs return data in JSON format.
dataJSON Schema
A vocabulary that allows you to annotate and validate JSON documents. It's useful for defining the structure of API responses.
apiP
Proxy Server
An intermediary server that sits between a client and a target server. In web scraping, proxies are used to rotate IP addresses to avoid detection and blocking.
scrapingPagination
The division of content into discrete pages. In web scraping, handling pagination is essential when extracting data that spans multiple pages.
scrapingPattern Recognition
In web scraping, the identification of recurring patterns in webpage structures to extract similar data across multiple pages.
dataR
Rate Limiting
The practice of restricting the number of requests a client can make to a server within a specific time period, often implemented by websites to prevent excessive scraping.
generalREST API
Representational State Transfer API, an architectural style for designing networked applications. REST APIs use HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to perform operations on resources.
apiRequest Headers
Data sent along with HTTP requests that provide information about the request, the client, and expected response format. Customizing headers is common in web scraping.
generalS
Schema.org
A collaborative community that creates, maintains, and promotes schemas for structured data on the Internet. This makes it easier to extract data from web pages that implement these schemas.
dataStructured Data
Data that is organized in a predefined format, making it easily searchable and analyzable. The goal of web scraping is often to convert unstructured web content into structured data.
dataU
User-Agent
A string identifier sent by a browser to websites to identify itself. Scrapers often use different User-Agents to mimic real browsers and avoid detection.
scrapingW
Web Scraping
The process of extracting data from websites by parsing the HTML structure. It involves automating the retrieval of web content that would otherwise be accessed manually.
scrapingWeb Crawler
A program or automated script that methodically browses the web, typically for the purpose of indexing websites or collecting specific data.
scrapingWeb Harvesting
Another term for web scraping, referring to the process of gathering information from across the web.
scrapingWeb Data Integration
The process of combining data extracted from multiple websites into a unified view. This often follows web scraping operations.
dataX
XPath
A query language for selecting nodes from an XML or HTML document. XPath expressions are commonly used in web scraping to navigate through the elements of a webpage.
scraping