Scheduling Scrapers

For ongoing data collection, you need to run scrapers on a schedule. This lesson covers various scheduling approaches.

Why Schedule Scrapers?

Python Schedule Library

Schedule Examples

Cron Jobs (Linux/Mac)

Windows Task Scheduler

APScheduler for Advanced Scheduling

Handling Long-Running Scrapers

Error Handling in Scheduled Jobs

Cloud Scheduling Options

Complete Scheduled Scraper

Key Takeaways

• Use schedule library for simple Python scheduling
• Use cron (Linux/Mac) or Task Scheduler (Windows) for system-level
• APScheduler offers advanced features like job persistence
• Prevent overlapping runs with is_running flags
• Always wrap scheduled jobs in try/except
• Log job starts, completions, and errors
• Consider cloud scheduling for production
• Monitor scheduled jobs to catch failures