Screen scraper

Screen scraping, also known as web scraping or web harvesting, is a method used to extract data from websites. It typically involves using automated software or bots to parse through HTML/XML content on webpages, locate the desired datapoints, and extract those pieces of data into an output format, such as a text file, spreadsheet, or even a database. Generally, the goal of screen scraping is to obtain large amounts of data in a short amount of time, without having to manually collect and copy the data.

Screen scraping is most commonly used to gather or monitor large amounts of data from websites that don’t provide easy access to such data. By using a screen scraping system, one can frequently gather data that is otherwise difficult or impossible to obtain. This is especially useful for web developers and entrepreneurs who need to know user behavior and trends. For example, by using web scraping, one can track user engagement with their website.

Screen scraping is a form of web crawling, which is often used by search engines to index and organize web content. However, screen scraping can be differentiated from web crawling in that it isn’t focused on quickly discovering and indexing new content, but rather on specific, pre-defined data points.

Screen scrapers can be used for a variety of purposes, such as market research, competitive intelligence, price comparison, sales monitoring, and more. However, there are important legal considerations when it comes to screen scraping. While some websites explicitly permit scraping, others may require explicit permission from the website’s owner before data can be harvested. It’s always important to ensure you have permission to scrape resources before extracting data.

In conclusion, screen scraping is a powerful data extraction technique. It can be used to quickly and easily extract data from websites, which can then be used for research, analysis, and more. However, it’s important to note that screen scraping needs to be done in accordance with legal and ethical guidelines to ensure no data is being duplicated or stolen.