Hey everyone! So, I’ve been wondering... is it easier to scrape websites or PDFs? I’ve tried both, and honestly, it’s kinda a mixed bag.
Websites are *usually* easier to scrape cuz the data’s structured in HTML, and tools like BeautifulSoup or Scrapy make it pretty straightforward. But man, dealing with dynamic content (looking at you, JavaScript-heavy sites) can be a pain.
PDFs, on the other hand, are a whole different beast. The formatting can be all over the place, and extracting text feels like pulling teeth sometimes. But hey, at least they’re static, so no surprises mid-scrape.
So, is it easier to scrape websites or PDFs? I’d say websites, but PDFs have their moments if you’re patient. What do y’all think? Any tips for either?
(Also, sorry for any typos, typing this on my phone lol)
Websites are *usually* easier to scrape cuz the data’s structured in HTML, and tools like BeautifulSoup or Scrapy make it pretty straightforward. But man, dealing with dynamic content (looking at you, JavaScript-heavy sites) can be a pain.
PDFs, on the other hand, are a whole different beast. The formatting can be all over the place, and extracting text feels like pulling teeth sometimes. But hey, at least they’re static, so no surprises mid-scrape.
So, is it easier to scrape websites or PDFs? I’d say websites, but PDFs have their moments if you’re patient. What do y’all think? Any tips for either?
(Also, sorry for any typos, typing this on my phone lol)