How Web Scrapers Work?

Web scraping, also known as web harvesting or web data extraction, is the process of gathering data from websites. This process is performed by software, known as web scrapers, which automatically navigate through web pages and extract the desired information.

There are various ways to perform web scraping, but the most common method is through the use of programming languages such as Python, Java, or C#. These languages allow for the creation of custom scrapers that can be tailored to the specific needs of the user. However, it can also be done through the use of pre-built scraper APIs, like the one provided by Geonode, which eliminates the need for programming knowledge.

When a web scraper navigates through a website, it mimics the actions of a human user by visiting pages, clicking links, and interacting with forms. This allows the scraper to access the same information that a human user would be able to access. The scraped data is then organized and saved for further use.