After years of using the standard programming languages, why have Web Scrapers started switching to Golang recently?
This is a common question that springs to the mind of most individuals. In fact, amateur developers seeking the latest and the most efficient technologies wonder about the best practices to make their projects successful.
Since programming languages play a vital role in a programmer’s life, it is critical to determine the most scalable, readable, and comprehensive language. Whether you run a business or are a developer, you’ll be intrigued to know the hype around Go.
What Is Web Scraping?
Web scraping involves using crawlers or bots to scrape data or content from a website. Like screen scraping that copies pixels on the screen, web scraping harvests the HTML code and the information stored in the database.
Several digital businesses depend upon data harvesting. Therefore, web scraping can be of use to them. For instance, it allows organisations to:
- Perform market research by extracting useful data to tweak their marketing tactics.
- Compare the product prices to determine a suitable one that profits them and benefits the consumers alike.
- Optimise their products by monitoring the best marketing practices of competitors.
However, note that you must follow ethical guidelines for your web scraping projects. This might require you to go through the terms and conditions of websites and treat data with respect.
What Is Go and What Benefits Does It Offer?
Golang web scraper is gaining traction among netizens and for all the right reasons. This open-source programming language simplifies web scraping by offering code efficiency and faster execution.
Today, popular brands and skilled developers have started using it to complement their projects. Let’s explore what unique advantages it offers. Do check out Oxylabs’ article they wrote on Golang web scraping for more information.
Ease of Use and Clarity
Golang Web Scrapers is pretty easy to use – a bonus not every language offers. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or an amateur, you can benefit from its well-structured interface.
You won’t have trouble understanding Go if you’re familiar with Java and C. Although syntax and keywords differ, the procedures are similar, and it won’t take long for you to comprehend them.
Better Execution for Web Scrapers
Golang does not require an interpreter. Instead, it can compile directly to machine code. Because it eliminates the need for an intermediary, it allows for faster development – no wonder why most developers are turning to it.
Minimalistic Design
Go is a simple language with a minimalistic user interface. However, that by no means indicates it compromises on features. It offers several built-in frameworks for profiling and testing.
Besides, there are several third-party add-ons. You can create programs through packages. Luckily, it offers clear code separation allowing for efficient management.
This well-scaled language outpaces the rest for its concurrency, allowing you to perform several tasks simultaneously.
Active Developer Community
With numerous developers becoming familiar with Go, more are interested in using it for upcoming projects. This points towards an active Go community.
A strong and efficient community ensures support for you. For instance, if you encounter any issues with you or cannot understand a particular feature, you can ask any Go user.
You can do so by typing #Go or #Golang in the Twitter search bar. Also, if you aren’t sure how it functions for Web Scrapers, you’ll probably find a relevant post on Twitter.
Supports Development
A fear that comes with a new programming language is that they lack the support for development. In fact, the latest programming languages are not comprehensive and have minimal tools for development.
Fortunately, that’s not the case with Go. Yes, it doesn’t have numerous tools like Java, but it does offer tools to make coding accessible.
For instance, it offers IDEs like Virtual Studio Code, plugins, and editors, making programming simple and more manageable.
Speed
Golang is hands down one of the fastest programming languages out there, and that’s not arguable. In fact, it was designed with this in mind – speed, scalability, and readability were the primary features intended for this language.
Further, an experiment proves Go is faster than standard languages like Python and Java.
Is Go Better than Other Programming Languages?
Go offers beneficial features that developers and programmers seek in a programming language. It outshines typical programming languages in speed, readability, and scalability.
However, we cannot say it is better than other programming languages. Each language has distinct features that come in handy for scraping projects.
You need to determine your project needs and requirements and pick a suitable language accordingly.
Conclusion
Although a relatively newer programming language, Golang quickly gained popularity among developers. Many companies using other programming languages switched to Go to enjoy its faster execution and ease of use.
If you aren’t familiar with any programming language and want to start your first scraping project, you can consider Go. It doesn’t require a learning curve, and you’ll quickly understand the basics needed for Web Scrapers.
