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API (Application Programming Interface)
An API (Application Programming Interface) provides a method to interact with websites or apps programmatically. In essence, an API lets different software programmes talk to each other.
How Does an API Work?
When you choose what data you want to get from an app (or a website), it uses an API to request specific information from another app. For example, a weather app might use an API to fetch the latest weather data from a server. The server then sends the data back in a format the app can understand, like JSON or XML, so it can show you the current weather.
The Role of APIs in Web Scraping
APIs are popular in web scraping. If a website has an API, you can retrieve data in a structured way without directly interacting with the page. However, not all websites have them, and the data an API gives can be old. Most importantly, an API usually comes with limits: how many requests you can make within a certain time frame or what type of data you can retrieve.