Automate Web Scraping with Browse AI

What is Browse AI?

Browse AI is a no-code web scraping platform that turns any website into a structured API. You train a "robot" by clicking through a site once, and it learns the extraction pattern. The robot then automatically extracts that same data from similar pages - on a schedule or via API calls.

Unlike traditional scrapers that break when websites change, Browse AI uses computer vision and AI to adapt to layout shifts. It handles JavaScript rendering, pagination, infinite scroll, and even login-protected content.

Why Developers Choose Browse AI

• No code required - Click to train, API to extract. No CSS selectors or XPath.
• Built-in scheduling - Run scrapes every 5 minutes or monthly. Set it and forget it.
• REST API + webhooks - Integrate with your backend, trigger pipelines, export to databases.
• Handles dynamic sites - JavaScript rendering, AJAX loading, infinite scroll all work.
• Change monitoring - Get notified when site layouts change or data updates.
• Team collaboration - Share robots, manage API keys, track usage across your org.

Getting Started with Browse AI

Here's how to go from zero to automated data extraction in under 10 minutes:

1. Install the Chrome Extension

Browse AI works via a Chrome extension that records your clicks. Install it from the Chrome Web Store, then sign up for a free account. You get credits to test immediately.

2. Record a Robot

Navigate to the website you want to scrape. Click the Browse AI extension icon and hit "Start Recording". Now interact with the page:

• Click on the data fields you want to extract (product name, price, description, etc.)
• Label each field ("title", "price", "image_url")
• If there's a list (search results, products), click "Capture List" and Browse AI extracts all items
• Handle pagination by clicking "Next Page" - Browse AI follows it automatically

When you're done, click "Finish Recording". Browse AI analyzes the pattern and creates a reusable robot.

3. Test and Refine

Run a test extraction on a few sample pages. Browse AI shows you the extracted data in a table. If something's off, click "Edit Robot" to adjust field selectors or add error handling. The visual editor makes this easy even if you've never scraped before.

4. Schedule or Trigger via API

Now automate it:

• Scheduled scrapes: Set a frequency (hourly, daily, weekly) and Browse AI runs automatically
• API triggers: Call the Browse AI API from your code to scrape on-demand
• Webhooks: Get notified when new data arrives or when scrapes complete

// Trigger a Browse AI robot from Node.js
const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.browse.ai/v2/robots/YOUR_ROBOT_ID/tasks',
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      inputParameters: {
        url: 'https://example.com/products'
      }
    })
  }
);

const task = await response.json();
console.log('Scrape started:', task.id);

// Poll for results
const results = await fetch(
  `https://api.browse.ai/v2/robots/YOUR_ROBOT_ID/tasks/${task.id}`,
  { headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);

const data = await results.json();
console.log('Extracted data:', data.result.capturedLists);

Real-World Use Cases for Developers

1. Product Data Aggregation

Scrape competitor prices, product descriptions, and reviews across e-commerce sites. Feed the data into your price monitoring tool or comparison engine. Browse AI handles variants, ratings, and even image URLs.

2. Job Board Automation

Extract job listings from LinkedIn, Indeed, or niche boards. Filter by keywords, location, and salary. Send new postings to your Slack or email. Perfect for recruiters or developers building job aggregators.

3. Lead Generation

Scrape directories, LinkedIn profiles, or company websites for contact info. Browse AI can extract names, emails, phone numbers, and job titles. Export to your CRM or sales automation tool.

4. Content Monitoring

Track changes on competitor sites, news sources, or government portals. Get alerts when new content appears or prices change. Browse AI's change detection is more reliable than RSS feeds.

5. Market Research

Collect product reviews, social media mentions, or forum discussions at scale. Analyze sentiment, trends, and customer feedback. Browse AI can scrape thousands of pages faster than manual research.

Advanced Tips for Developers

Handle Pagination and Infinite Scroll

When recording, click "Enable Pagination" and Browse AI automatically follows "Next Page" links or loads more content. You can set a max page limit to control costs. For infinite scroll, Browse AI scrolls to the bottom and extracts all loaded items.

Use Input Parameters for Dynamic Scraping

Instead of hardcoding URLs, create robots with input parameters. Pass search terms, categories, or date ranges via the API. This lets you reuse one robot for many queries.

// Dynamic scraping with parameters
const task = await fetch('https://api.browse.ai/v2/robots/YOUR_ROBOT_ID/tasks', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    inputParameters: {
      searchTerm: 'laptops',
      maxPrice: '1000'
    }
  })
});

Export to Your Database

Browse AI integrates with Google Sheets, Airtable, and webhooks. For custom databases, use the API to fetch extracted data and pipe it into PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or wherever you store data. The JSON response is clean and ready to insert.

Monitor Rate Limits and Credits

Each page load consumes one credit. If you're scraping large sites, optimize by:

• Scraping only changed pages (Browse AI's change detection helps here)
• Reducing scrape frequency for low-priority data
• Using API calls only when you need fresh data (vs. always-on schedules)

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Website Blocks the Robot

Solution: Browse AI uses residential proxies and mimics human behavior (random delays, mouse movements). If you still get blocked, enable "Stealth Mode" in robot settings or adjust the scraping speed to be less aggressive. For heavily protected sites, you may need to provide login credentials or use Browse AI's "Browser in the Cloud" feature.

Challenge: Extracted Data is Incomplete

Solution: The site might lazy-load content. During recording, scroll to trigger loading, then select the data. Use Browse AI's "Wait for Element" feature to ensure content appears before extraction. You can also add custom JavaScript in advanced settings to interact with the page.

Challenge: Site Layout Changed

Solution: Browse AI's monitoring alerts you immediately. Simply re-record the robot (takes 2-3 minutes) and existing schedules/API calls continue working. For frequent changes, consider using Browse AI's "AI-Powered Adaptation" which attempts to self-heal minor layout shifts.

Browse AI vs. Traditional Scraping

TL;DR: Browse AI is faster to set up and maintain. Traditional scraping gives you more control and is free (aside from infrastructure). For most developer use cases - especially MVPs, side projects, or one-off data needs - Browse AI is the smarter choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Steps

Ready to automate your web scraping? Start with Browse AI's free tier and build your first robot in minutes. Once you see how easy it is, you'll wonder why you ever wrote scrapers by hand.

• Sign up for Browse AI (free tier available)
• Install the Chrome extension
• Record your first robot on a test site
• Integrate with your API or workflow
• Scale up to production with scheduled scrapes