There is a problem that usually arises whenever you plan on using a proxy for web scraping. After a long debate with yourself when you decide to use a proxy, there is always that question on how to choose the right one.
Everybody suffers from choosing the right one for their web scraping project. But it is not something for you to sweat about. This issue is basically happening because there are too many proxies looking quite similar.
With the right guide, you can pick the right proxy on WP Dev Shed for your web scraping project. Now that you are here, you will soon learn how to pick a suitable proxy in order to do a splendid job at web scraping.
Let’s get this show on the road!
What is a Proxy?
Before we start to learn about the steps for picking the right proxy type for your web scraping project, let us first understand what a proxy is and how it can help you scrape web information.
A proxy is something like a gateway between the external server and your website server. A proxy server helps in hiding and prevents the external server from tracking down your original IP address. Tracking down your IP address can be a trouble as the user could gain access to your browsing history or your geographical location. Staying anonymous is necessary to protect confidential data from hackers and cyber-attacks.
To avoid such issues, we use a proxy. Whenever a web request has arisen, the user will see only the IP address shown by the proxy. This way, you get to stay anonymous while doing web scraping without the risk of getting tracked down.
Why Does One Need a Proxy for Web Scraping?
There are quite a few many reasons behind the usage of proxy servers for a web scraping project. It is mandatory for you to understand the importance of using the right proxy type for your web scraping. Here are a few of those reasons for using a proxy on a web scraping project.
- It decreases the chances for your web crawler to either get blocked or banned.
- A proxy helps to reliably crawl through a website.
- The proxy server allows having more than one request to the website. There won’t be a need to worry about it.
- Utilizing proxy servers allows one to have innumerable concurrent sessions to either one of the same websites or to a different one.
- A proxy server allows one to access websites of different geographical locations. Since there are certain sites that tend to deny access to it, a proxy will let you in easily without any hassle.
- One can get away with the blanket IP bans that are raised by certain websites.
These are some of the major reasons for one to make use of a proxy server for web scraping business. It can come in handy.
Various Types for Proxies Explained in Detail
As you know, a proxy does not have a single type. There are multiple types of proxies that are being used in today’s work. We’ll discuss some of the web scraping proxies that you will need along the way.
- Datacenter Proxies
- Static Residential Proxies
- Residential IP Proxies
● Datacenter Proxies:
When it comes to web scraping, these kinds of proxies are the most in use. They are widely used in a web scraping process owing to the fact that they are quite affordable and the process becomes quicker with a datacenter proxy.
This kind of proxy is not connected to any Internet Service Provider (ISP). Datacenter proxies basically involve working with many different proxies. It is best to choose the datacenter proxy when there is a bulk scraping to be done.
● Static Residential Proxies:
Out of all other proxies, The static residential Proxies are considered to be the best for use, especially for web scraping. It helps in keeping you anonymous and also gets the job done at a quicker pace than datacenter proxies.
If you are working at sites that have a high chance of being banned, then it’s best for you to choose the static residential proxies. This proxy has the least bans and is perfect for generating high volumes of data from web scraping.
● Residential IP Proxies:
It’s possible for your IP address to get detected if you use low-quality proxies. But the chances are quite slim when you make use of residential proxies. These proxies make use of real residential IP addresses that exist in residential areas.
When using a residential IP proxy, it is not possible to be detected as their IP address belongs to a real ISP. This prevents you from looking like a scraper.
The Right Proxy Type for Web Scraping – A Quick Guide
Choosing a proxy could be a challenging task. Owing to the fact that they all seem to be similar, they are not the same. There are unique qualities for every type of proxy. Here are detailed steps for you to follow on choosing the right proxy type.
- Before you pick a proxy type, it is required that you know what your requirement is. If you are in for scraping a huge amount of data, then it is best suited for you to choose the proxies pool.
- For scraping a particular amount of data, you will have to choose either the datacenter proxy or the static residential proxy.
- If you are in to put more money on proxy then you should choose the proxy pools with the residential IP.
- If you are short on time, then it is best that you choose a proxy provider to finish the job. There are many proxy providers that focus on web scraping projects.
- When you are inexperienced about the mechanism of the proxy, it is best that you make use of a proxy rotator. This will make your job easier and get it done.
All these are the steps for you to follow in picking the right proxy type for web scraping.
In Conclusion
Although finding the right proxy for web scraping is a critical and tedious job, you can now simply choose one when you are sure of your requirements. This will help you to land on the right one for your work.
Hope you understood the steps and more about proxy with this article.
Good Luck with finding the best!