How to Scrape Professional Registration Data in Peru Using Python
Scraping professional registration data from official government websites can be valuable for various applications. In Peru, there are specific systems that allow verification of professional credentials. This article demonstrates how to programmatically access this data using Python and the requests library.
Understanding the Data Source
When attempting to obtain information about professional registrations in Peru, there are two main systems to consider. The first is CIGACOP, an administrative system that allows searches by identification number or name. However, this system has limitations – it renders HTML directly from the server and doesn’t provide well-structured data that can be easily processed.
The second option, which proves more useful for data scraping purposes, is a service-based API that returns data in JSON format. This approach provides more relevant information, including whether a professional’s registration is active, without requiring additional processing.
Implementation with Python
Here’s how to implement a simple Python script to query professional data:
Setting Up the Request
The script uses the Python requests library to make a POST request to the service. When making the request, it’s important to properly format the data and specify the correct content type:
1. First, prepare the data payload with the professional’s identification number
2. Make a POST request to the service endpoint
3. Ensure you set the content type header to ‘application/json’
4. Process the JSON response to extract the relevant information
Processing the Response
Once the request returns a response, you can parse the JSON data to extract information such as:
- Full name (including paternal and maternal surnames)
- Registration number
- Whether the registration is active
- Other professional details
Code Example
The implementation involves creating a function that takes an identification number as input, makes the request to the service, and returns the structured information:
The response will contain details about the professional, including Wilder Bayano Arcos (used as an example in our implementation). With this data, you can validate credentials or integrate this information into your own systems.
Considerations
When implementing this scraping solution, keep these points in mind:
- Always verify you have permission to access and use the data
- Be mindful of rate limits on the service
- Handle error cases appropriately
- Structure your code to easily extract the specific information you need
With the right implementation, you can reliably retrieve professional registration data from Peru’s systems and integrate it into your applications or verification processes.