Glossary

An antidetect browser is a specialized web browser that masks or randomizes identifying attributes (such as user‑agent strings, canvas/WebGL fingerprints, and IP addresses) so each session appears as a distinct, generic user.

An API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of rules and specifications that allows one application to access the features or data of another application. This enables different software systems to communicate and interact with each other

Browser fingerprinting is the process web services use to collect browser data from their users to generate unique digital fingerprints for tracking purposes.

Bot traffic is any traffic to a website or app that is generated by automated software programs (known as bots) rather than humans. Bots can simulate human behavior by performing tasks like browsing web pages, clicking links, filling out forms, or even making purchases.

A bot (short for "robot") is a software program that performs automated tasks over a network. Bots follow instructions to carry out actions, often mimicking human behavior, but at a much faster pace.

Bot detection is the method by which a website identifies bot traffic. There are a number of processes that websites can use to distinguish bot traffic from traffic generated by real people.

cURL (short for Client URL) is a command-line tool you can use to transfer data to or from a server using various network protocols. It’s a versatile tool that allows you to make different types of requests, like downloading files, sending data, and interacting with APIs.

CAPTCHAs are tests that determine whether traffic to a website originates from a human or a bot. They work by providing challenges that are difficult for computers to solve but easy for humans.

Data parsing is the method used to extract data from unstructured sources and convert it into a structured format. This makes it easier to analyze, send, and integrate.

A dataset is a collection of data that's organized and stored in a structured format that makes the data easy to analyze or use.

A datacenter proxy is a type of proxy server that is hosted in a data center, rather than being tied to a residential internet connection. Datacenter proxies are known for their high speeds and scalability, since they often run on powerful servers with significant bandwidth.

A forward proxy is a proxy server that sits between your device (or client - such as your web browser or a mobile application) and the internet. Instead of the client making requests directly to the web resource you want to access, your client makes the request to the proxy server, which then sends the request on (or "forwards" it) to the web resource on your behalf.

Geolocation is the process of determining the real-world geographic location of an object, such as a computer, mobile device, or vehicle. This is often done by analyzing data like IP addresses, GPS coordinates, and WiFi signals.

A headless browser is a web browser that operates without a visual user interface. It runs in the background, allowing automated interaction with web pages, including rendering HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the code that gives structure and content to web pages. It uses tags to define elements like headings, paragraphs, images, and links, which tell web browsers how to display the information.

ISP proxies are a type of proxy server that combines the speed and reliability of datacenter proxies with the authority and anonymity of residential proxies. They are hosted in data centers but use IP addresses provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs), making them appear like regular residential users.

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical identifier assigned to every device connected to a network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses serve as a way to locate and communicate with devices over a network, much like a street address identifies a physical location.

JavaScript is a programming language that adds interactivity to websites. It allows developers to create dynamic content, handle user input, and make web pages more engaging.

Mobile proxies are a type of proxy server that routes your internet traffic through a mobile device with a real mobile IP address. This makes it appear as if you are browsing the internet using a smartphone or tablet connected to a cellular network, rather than your actual device and location.

Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that lets you run JavaScript code on the server side.

Python is a popular programming language known for its clear syntax and readability. It's used for a wide range of tasks, from building websites and analyzing data to automating tasks and creating artificial intelligence.

A proxy server is an intermediary server that sits between your device (or application) and the internet, forwarding your requests and responses while hiding your IP address from the online resources you access. This helps you to access restricted content and bypass some bot detection measures when web scraping.

A reverse proxy is a type of proxy server that sits in front of one or more web servers, intercepting all client requests before they reach the origin server. This allows reverse proxies to perform various functions like load balancing, security filtering, and caching to improve the performance, security, and reliability of the web server(s).

Residential proxies are a type of proxy server that routes your internet traffic through a residential IP address. This means your online activity appears to originate from a real home or individual user, rather than a data center or business.

A SOCKS proxy is a server that uses the SOCKS (Socket Secure) protocol to route your data. The SOCKS protocol is a set of instructions that dictate how a client (for example, your web browser) can route traffic through a proxy server, while keeping your browsing data private and secure. SOCKS5 is the latest, best-performing, and most feature-rich version of this protocol.

Selenium is an open-source framework primarily used for automating web browsers. It provides tools and libraries that allow you to control a browser programmatically, enabling tasks like web testing, web scraping, and automating repetitive web actions.

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a core communication protocol that ensures reliable and ordered delivery of data between applications over a network. It establishes a connection between the sender and receiver, verifies data integrity, and retransmits any lost or corrupted data.

UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a communication protocol that sends data packets over a network with minimal overhead and error checking. It prioritizes speed and efficiency over guaranteed delivery, making it suitable for applications where occasional data loss is acceptable.

wget is a free command-line utility that you can use to download files from the internet. It’s a robust tool that’s able to handle unstable network connections and supports various protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP.

Web scraping is the process of collecting data from the web and aggregating it into one place. Although this can be a manual process (i.e. copy and pasting from websites yourself), “web scraping” generally refers to automating that process.

A web scraper is a tool that automatically extracts data from websites. It finds the information you want from web pages and puts it into a format you can use, such as a spreadsheet.