Glossary: Explanation of Key Terms
We have compiled an extensive guide where we explain the most common terms related to website scraping, competitor price monitoring, as well as important marketing concepts.
What exactly is parsing?
In this section, we provide detailed explanations and recommendations on the topic of parsing. You will learn what web scraping is, what methods and techniques are used for effective and legal data collection, as well as the main principles and best practices to consider when scraping. This information will be useful for both beginners and experienced professionals looking to improve their skills and knowledge in the field of data extraction from websites.
Parsing
refers to the process of collecting and organizing data found on specific websites, using specialized software tools that automate this task.
Parser
is a software solution designed for collecting and structuring information from various websites. It can extract data from diverse sources, including text content, the HTML structure of the site, headers, menus, as well as from databases and other elements of web pages.
Parsing of websites
is one of the most effective methods of automated data collection on the internet. By using specialized software or services, you can efficiently gather information about competitors, analyze market trends, and monitor various external indicators that are significant for your business.
Web scraping
provides website owners with a range of competitive advantages: it is a tool for managing pricing and assortment, collecting data for content creation, as well as analyzing the market and competitive environment. Parsing tools are versatile and informative, applicable in various fields — from tracking prices and product assortments to gathering diverse information about competitors.
In simple words,
Parsing is the process of extracting information from the websites of other companies. Parsing involves collecting and analyzing data from various sites using specialized software. This process can be described as follows: a bot visits a webpage, analyzes its HTML code, extracts the required data, and saves it in its database. Search engines like Google also use parsing methods, which makes protecting a site from 'spies' a challenging task, as it can simultaneously restrict access for search engines.
Parsing is often perceived negatively,
although in itself it is not illegal. This process involves collecting information that is publicly available, with the program serving merely to expedite this process. With proper and conscious application, parsing can reveal many of its positive aspects and advantages.
How to Apply Parsers in Business?
Parsing is used in all areas where it is necessary to analyze and organize large volumes of data.
In the field of programming,
computers can process and interpret only machine code, which is a sequence of zeros and ones. When a person writes a program in a programming language that is not directly understandable by the computer, specialized software is used. This software first parses the code written by the programmer, and then converts it into binary machine code, which can be executed.
News Aggregation.
News websites and agencies use parsers for systematizing and presenting news. These tools automatically gather the latest updates from various available sources, then analyze the obtained information and pass it on to the staff for final processing and publication.
Web scraping
is a specific form of parsing. In this process, a search bot-parser browses sites that match the user’s query, and then selects pages that are most relevant in content. A distinctive feature of such crawlers is that they do not extract data directly from the pages, but rather search for information on them that corresponds to the user’s request.
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