🚀 Supercharge Your No-Code App: Web Scraping with Browse AI and Bubble.io 🧰

👋 Introduction

Want to unlock a world of data and automate tasks right inside your Bubble.io apps? This cheatsheet shows you how to integrate the power of Browse AI’s web scraping robots directly into your no-code workflows.

We’ll cover:

Setting up the API connection between Browse AI and Bubble.io
Sending dynamic instructions to your scraping robots
Testing your setup and handling any hiccups
Using webhooks to efficiently receive scraped data

Let’s dive in!

🔗 Connecting Browse AI and Bubble.io

🤖 Setting Up the API Connector

Find Your Robot’s ID: In Browse AI, navigate to the robot you want to use and grab its unique ID.
Create an API Connector: In your Bubble.io app, add a new API connector and name it something descriptive (e.g., “BrowseAI”).
Configure the Request:
- Method: POST
- URL: Use the Browse AI API endpoint for running tasks (found in their documentation), replacing {robotId} with your robot’s ID. We’ll make this dynamic in a moment!
- Authentication: Add a header for authorization:
  - Key: Authorization
  - Value: Bearer your_api_key (Replace your_api_key with your actual Browse AI API key).

⚙️ Making Your Robot Dynamic

Dynamic Robot ID: In the API connector’s URL field, replace the placeholder {robotId} with =<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>b</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>I</mi><mi>D</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">RobotID</annotation></semantics></math>RobotID (without the backticks). This lets you easily switch robots later.
Uncheck “Private”: This ensures you can use the dynamic ID within your Bubble.io workflows.

🗣️ Sending Instructions to Your Robot

📝 Defining Input Parameters

Understand the Structure: Browse AI’s API expects parameters in a specific format. Refer to their documentation for the exact structure your robot needs.
Add Parameters: In your API connector, add the required parameters (e.g., search_text, max_posts). Make sure to nest them correctly within the input_parameters object as shown in the Browse AI documentation.

🧪 Testing and Troubleshooting

Initialize a Call: In Bubble.io, use the “Initialize” button to test your API connector.
Check for Success: A success code means your connection is good!
Monitor in Browse AI: Head back to Browse AI and check the “Run Tasks” section. You should see a new task triggered by your API call.
Handle Errors: If you encounter errors, double-check:
- API Key: Make sure it’s correct and entered in the right place.
- Parameter Format: Browse AI’s API can be picky! Ensure your parameters are structured exactly as their documentation specifies.

📨 Receiving Data with Webhooks

🪝 Why Webhooks?

Webhooks are like instant notifications. Instead of your Bubble.io app constantly checking for results, Browse AI will automatically send the scraped data as soon as it’s ready.

⚙️ Setting Up Webhooks (In Browse AI)

Create a Webhook: In your Browse AI account, set up a new webhook.
Point it to Bubble.io: Provide the webhook URL from your Bubble.io app. This is where Browse AI will send the data.

🔄 Handling Data in Bubble.io

Backend Workflow: Create a backend workflow in Bubble.io that’s triggered by your webhook.
Process the Data: Extract the relevant information from the webhook’s payload (the data Browse AI sends).
Use the Data: Update your Bubble.io app with the freshly scraped data!

🎉 Conclusion

You’ve now unlocked the power to automate web scraping within your Bubble.io apps! Use this to:

Gather data for market research
Monitor competitor pricing
Create automated content feeds
And much more!

This is just the beginning. Experiment, explore Browse AI’s API documentation, and build amazing things!

🧰 The Toolbox

Here are the essential tools mentioned in this cheatsheet:

Browse AI: https://www.browse.ai/ – Powerful, user-friendly web scraping tool.
Bubble.io: https://bubble.io/ – Leading no-code platform for building web applications.

🤔 What’s Next?

Ready to take your skills further?

Dive Deeper into Browse AI: Explore their API documentation to discover advanced features and customization options.
Master Bubble.io: Learn more about backend workflows, data manipulation, and building complex applications.
Combine with Other Tools: Integrate other APIs and services to create even more powerful automations.