I’m stuck on a web automation project. I made bots for two sites using Python’s requests library to send POST and GET requests. I tried to make them look real with SOCKS proxies, user agents, and referrer URLs.
But here’s the problem: the accounts keep getting suspended. A buddy said I should try headless browsers like Selenium or Playwright instead of requests.
Now I’m wondering: what’s the real difference between using requests and headless browsers for web scraping? Which one is better for avoiding detection?
I’m not sure if I should share my code, but any advice would be great. Thanks for reading!
I’ve faced similar challenges in web automation projects. In my experience, headless browsers like Selenium or Playwright can indeed be more effective at avoiding detection compared to raw HTTP requests. They emulate real browser behavior more closely, executing JavaScript and handling dynamic content.
However, they’re not foolproof. Sites with sophisticated anti-bot measures can still detect them. I’ve had success combining headless browsers with additional techniques like randomizing actions, adding delays, and rotating IP addresses.
That said, requests can still work well for simpler scenarios or APIs. It really depends on the specific site and your use case. I’d suggest experimenting with both approaches and monitoring which one performs better for your particular targets.
Remember, ethical considerations are important too. Always respect robots.txt and site terms of service when scraping.
In my experience, the choice between HTTP requests and headless browsers often comes down to the complexity of the target site. Requests are lightweight and fast, ideal for simple static pages or APIs. However, for modern, JavaScript-heavy sites, headless browsers like Selenium or Playwright offer a clear advantage by executing JavaScript and managing dynamic content.
A headless browser can better replicate real user behavior, including cookie and session management, despite being more resource-intensive and slower. Ultimately, a combination of techniques—such as IP rotation and user agent randomization—may yield the best results in avoiding detection.
hey man, i’ve done some scraping too. headless browsers can be better at mimicking real users, but they’re slower. requests is faster but easier to catch. it really depends on the site ur targeting. maybe try rotating between both methods? also, don’t forget to add random delays and rotate user agents. good luck!