Web scraping, also known as web harvesting or web data extraction, is a data collection technique used to extract information from websites or web pages. It involves automated software programs, known as web scrapers or crawlers, that navigate the internet, access web pages, and extract specific data points, such as text, images, links, and more. Web scraping serves various purposes, including data analysis, research, competitive intelligence, price monitoring, and content aggregation.
Web scraping is a powerful tool for data acquisition and analysis when used responsibly and ethically. It has applications in various industries, including e-commerce, market research, finance, academic research, and journalism. However, it is essential to be aware of legal and ethical considerations and to obtain proper permissions when scraping data from websites.
