Screen Scraping
Screen scraping is a technique for extracting data from the visual output of software applications, typically by programmatically reading and parsing information displayed on a user interface, such as a website or desktop application. It involves capturing pixel data or text from screens and converting it into structured formats like text, CSV, or JSON for further processing. This method is often used when direct access to underlying data sources, such as APIs or databases, is unavailable or restricted.
Developers should learn screen scraping when they need to gather data from legacy systems, websites without APIs, or proprietary software that doesn't offer programmatic access. It's particularly useful for tasks like data migration, competitive analysis, automating repetitive data entry, or integrating with systems that lack modern interfaces. However, it should be used cautiously due to potential legal and ethical issues, such as violating terms of service or copyright laws.