Is using an API always preferable to scraping? -


i looking large amount (>100k @ least) of data web 2.0 sites research project. thinking of using exposed api data, scrapping work better in case?

the api (less work compared writting scraper), have no idea how time need collect data, considering there time/call limit. i'm not saying there no limit in scraping though; curious better way of getting job done.

if site provides api, use it.

it's simpler, generic, , legal. if site kind of popular, find wrappers language you're using.

of course, if develop scraper, won't have limitations, maybe site doesn't allow being scraped, , that's why have api users/developers.

about jeffrey04 comment:

let's see... moral thing. if want, can obtain amount of data several times without being blocked. can change user-agents, change ip after n requests (of course, of programatically), , tricks cookies, that's not idea. mean advice of not using website scraping not because of getting banned website.


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