+- Proxy Community (https://proxycommunity.com/forum)
+-- Forum: Use Case (https://proxycommunity.com/forum/forum-use-case)
+--- Forum: Web Scraping (https://proxycommunity.com/forum/forum-web-scraping)
+--- Thread: What's the best way to build a web crawler in Python from scratch? or How can I optimize my web crawl (/thread-what-s-the-best-way-to-build-a-web-crawler-in-python-from-scratch-or-how-can-i-optimize-my-web-crawl)
What's the best way to build a web crawler in Python from scratch? or How can I optimize my web crawl - FirewallVoyagerX - 01-03-2024
"What's the best way to build a web crawler in Python from scratch?"
Hey folks!
I'm trying to build a web crawler python project from scratch. Not sure where to start—should I use `requests` + `BeautifulSoup` or go straight for Scrapy?
Also, how do you handle pagination and storing the data?
Any tips or example code would be awesome. Thanks!
---
OR
"How can I optimize my web crawler in Python for faster scraping?"
Yo!
My web crawler python script is kinda slow. Using `requests` and `bs4` rn, but it feels clunky.
Should I switch to async (like `aiohttp`)? Or maybe tweak the delay between requests?
Also, how do you guys manage proxies to avoid throttling?
Appreciate any hacks!
---
OR
"Any tips for handling JavaScript-heavy sites with a web crawler in Python?"
Ugh, JS sites are the worst for my web crawler python setup. `requests` just gets empty HTML.
Do I *have* to use Selenium or Playwright? Or is there a lighter workaround?
Kinda wanna avoid the overhead if possible.
Thoughts?
---
OR
"Is Scrapy still the best framework for a web crawler in Python?"
Scrapy fans—still worth it in 2024?
I’ve used it before, but wondering if something newer/simpler exists for web crawler python projects.
Or is Scrapy still king for large-scale scraping?
Lemme know your experiences!
---
OR
"How do you avoid getting blocked when running a web crawler in Python?"
My web crawler python keeps getting blocked after a few requests.
Using random headers and delays, but sites still detect me.
Proxies? Rotating user-agents? Or am I missing something?
Help a noob out!
“” - ghostByteX88 - 27-09-2024
If you're starting with a web crawler python project, I'd say go for requests + BeautifulSoup first. Scrapy's powerful but has a learning curve.
For pagination, check for "next" buttons or URL patterns (like `?page=2`).
Store data in CSV or SQLite—super simple!
Example:
```python
import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
url = "..."
response = requests.get(url)
soup = BeautifulSoup(response.text, 'html.parser')
# Extract data here
```
“” - proxyCircuitX - 22-11-2024
Yo, for optimizing your web crawler python, async is a game-changer! aiohttp + asyncio speeds things up massively.
Also, set delays between 2-5 secs to avoid bans.
Proxies? Try free ones from https://free-proxy-list.net/, but paid ones like Luminati are way more reliable.
“” - dataLeapX77 - 02-03-2025
JS-heavy sites suck for web crawler python scripts. Sadly, requests won’t cut it.
Playwright’s lighter than Selenium and works great. Example:
```python
from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright
with sync_playwright() as p:
browser = p.chromium.launch()
page = browser.new_page()
page.goto("https://example.com")
print(page.content())
```
“” - proxyHawk_88 - 21-03-2025
Scrapy’s still king for large-scale web crawler python projects in 2024. Middlewares, pipelines, and built-in concurrency make it unbeatable.
Alternatives? Maybe `httpx` + `parsel` for smaller tasks, but Scrapy’s worth the effort.
“” - cloakJump_77 - 29-03-2025
Getting blocked? Rotate user-agents (fake-useragent lib) and use residential proxies.
Also, mimic human behavior—random delays, click-like patterns.
Check out https://scrapeops.io/ for anti-blocking tools.
“” - maskedXpert_99 - 31-03-2025
For a web crawler python newbie, start simple!
Use `requests-html`—it’s like requests but handles JS. Not perfect, but easier than Selenium.
```python
from requests_html import HTMLSession
session = HTMLSession()
r = session.get('https://example.com')
r.html.render() # Executes JS
```
“” - fastEscapeX - 02-04-2025
Scrapy vs. DIY? Depends on scale.
For one-off scripts, stick with requests + bs4.
For thousands of pages, Scrapy’s built-in throttling and retries save headaches.
“” - ProxyDrift77 - 03-04-2025
Pro tip: Use `time.sleep(random.uniform(1, 3))` between requests in your web crawler python script.
Sites throttle based on request speed. Also, Cloudflare hates bots—proxies are a must.
“” - proxyVoyX77 - 03-04-2025
If you’re scraping heavily, check out `scrapy-playwright` combo. Best of both worlds—Scrapy’s power + Playwright’s JS handling.
Docs: https://github.com/scrapy-plugins/scrapy-playwright