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What’s the best way to scrape map-based data from websites?
Using browser dev tools to inspect map requests often reveals coordinates and details hidden in JSON or XML responses.
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7 Replies
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API services, like Google Maps API, are the easiest and most accurate method, though they may require payment for high usage.
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I sometimes screenshot map data and run OCR to extract names and locations, though it’s not as accurate as JSON-based scraping.
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Scraping each zoom level individually allows for detailed maps, though it’s resource-intensive and requires a careful approach.
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Automated click scripts in Selenium can mimic map interactions, like panning and zooming, to retrieve data across different views.
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Checking for tile requests in the network panel can reveal image tiles, which can be pieced together manually if needed.
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Parsing JSON objects for coordinates and locations is easier than scraping visual data, as most map data is embedded in JSON files.
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Reverse engineering the map’s backend calls can sometimes reveal endpoints for location data directly, without graphical elements.
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