A parser (or scraper) is a software program or script whose main function is to automatically extract and structure certain information from websites or large data sets. A parser works by analyzing the structure (HTML code) of target pages, identifying the desired elements and extracting them for further processing or analysis.
Conceptually, a parser is a tool for automated data collection (Data Scraping). In SEO and competitive analysis, parsers are used for price monitoring, competitor data collection, SERP analysis or link profile tracking.
The use of parsers should be ethical and careful. Excessive use or scraping of content without permission can violate the terms of use of the target site and lead to IP address blocking. Useful parsers are those that extract public data for legitimate analysis.