When to Use APIs

APIs are often the better choice for data collection. Learn when to use them and how to work with them.

APIs vs Scraping

When to Use APIs

Working with REST APIs

API Authentication

Handling API Pagination

Rate Limiting with APIs

Popular APIs for Data

Complete API Client Example

Key Takeaways

• Always check for an official API first
• APIs provide cleaner, more reliable data
• Handle authentication properly (keys, tokens)
• Respect rate limits and pagination
• API data is structured - no parsing needed
• Many sites have both public and hidden APIs
• Use scraping only when APIs aren't available
• Consider API costs for commercial projects