10 Questions
What is the main purpose of converting data to a DataFrame after retrieving it from an API?
To perform data cleaning and preprocessing
What is a common reason for APIs to limit the number of requests from a single user?
To prevent overloading the server with too many requests
What is the purpose of the API documentation?
All of the above
What is a common reason for APIs to restrict access to certain data?
All of the above
What is the purpose of crawling in the context of data acquisition?
To extract data from websites by programmatically navigating and fetching content
What is a common approach to handling errors when working with APIs?
Implement error handling and retry mechanisms
What is the advantage of using a predefined format when working with APIs?
It ensures consistency and compatibility across different systems
What is the purpose of converting Python objects to JSON format?
To transmit data over the internet or between applications
What is a potential issue when working with APIs that provide both free and paid tiers?
All of the above
What is a common use case for the json module in Python?
Both (a) and (b)
Study Notes
CSV Files
- CSV files allow import and export of large amounts of data by most systems and platforms.
- They are in a tabular format that is easy to handle and organize.
- However, they are not intuitively readable and do not represent hierarchical data well.
- Special handling is required for values containing special characters, such as commas and quotes.
JSON Format
- JSON is a hierarchical format for transferring data between systems.
- It allows for the transfer of complex, readable structures built from ordered pairs of key and value.
- The key is always displayed as a string in brackets, and the value can be a string, number, boolean, list, object, or other types.
Converting Python Objects to JSON
- Python objects of the following types can be converted to JSON strings: tuple, list, dict, string, int, float, True, False, None.
JSON Commands
-
json.dumpsconverts a Python object to a JSON string. -
json.dumpwrites a dictionary object to a file in JSON format. -
json.loadreceives a file pointer containing data in JSON format and returns a dictionary object.
API Requests and Responses
- Each API request may be different, and may return different responses.
- Examples of possible errors include:
- 200: The request was successful.
- 301: The server redirects the user to another endpoint.
- 401: The user is not verified.
- 403: The resource is forbidden due to a lack of permission.
- 404: The resource is not found on the server.
Data Acquisition via API
- API provides a structured way to receive information from a third party using the HTTP protocol.
- API requests may require identification and authentication.
- APIs often return data in JSON or CSV format.
- Data may require additional processing to be analyzed.
- Important points to consider when working with APIs include:
- Is the API free or paid?
- What is the limit on the amount of requests?
- What data is made available through the API?
- What is the format of the API?
- Are there any legal restrictions on data privacy?
Crawling
- Crawling is a programming method for building a code to go over a website and fetch the data found on it.
Explore the advantages and disadvantages of using CSV files as a data format compared to JSON. Learn about the tabular format of CSV that allows easy import and export of data, as well as its limitations in handling special characters. Discover how JSON, a hierarchical format, differs in data representation.
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