What is parsel?

Parsel is a Python library that is distributed under the BSD license, designed to simplify the process of extracting and manipulating data from HTML and XML documents by utilizing XPath and CSS selectors, with the added flexibility of incorporating regular expressions. To get started, one must create a selector object that targets the specific HTML or XML content for analysis. Once this is established, users can leverage either CSS or XPath expressions to pinpoint the desired elements. CSS acts as a styling language for HTML, offering selectors that connect styles to specific HTML elements, while XPath is employed to choose nodes within XML documents and can also be effectively used with HTML. While both CSS and XPath are viable options, CSS generally offers improved readability, whereas XPath possesses functionalities that may not be attainable through CSS alone. Built upon the lxml library, parsel selectors include certain EXSLT extensions and come equipped with pre-registered namespaces for use in XPath queries. Additionally, parsel selectors facilitate the chaining of selectors, allowing users to primarily select elements by class with CSS and seamlessly switch to XPath when necessary, thereby providing enhanced flexibility in data extraction tasks. This combination of features renders parsel an invaluable resource for developers engaged in web data manipulation. Moreover, the ability to toggle between two powerful selection methods ensures that users can optimize their data extraction strategies according to the complexity of their tasks.

Pricing

Price Starts At:
Free
Free Version:
Free Version available.

Integrations

Offers API?:
Yes, parsel provides an API

Screenshots and Video

parsel Screenshot 1

Company Facts

Company Name:
Python Software Foundation
Company Location:
United States
Company Website:
pypi.org/project/parsel/

Product Details

Deployment
Windows
Mac
Linux
Training Options
Documentation Hub
Webinars
Video Library
Support
Web-Based Support

Product Details

Target Company Sizes
Individual
1-10
11-50
51-200
201-500
501-1000
1001-5000
5001-10000
10001+
Target Organization Types
Mid Size Business
Small Business
Enterprise
Freelance
Nonprofit
Government
Startup
Supported Languages
English

parsel Categories and Features