Enhanced Google Maps Scraper and API Integration

2 min read

📅 2025-10-05 — Session: Enhanced Google Maps Scraper and API Integration

🕒 21:15–22:45
🏷️ Labels: Google Maps, Api Integration, Python, Debugging, Data Normalization
📂 Project: Dev
⭐ Priority: MEDIUM

Session Goal

The session focused on advancing the Google Maps scraper project and integrating the Google Places API for robust data acquisition and processing.

Key Activities

  • Debugging and Engineering Practices: Transitioned from confusion to systematic engineering practices in the Google Maps scraper project, focusing on problem discovery and root-cause analysis.
  • API Pipeline Development: Made significant progress in developing a Places API pipeline, improving data normalization and addressing pagination and QA challenges.
  • Code Review and Improvements: Conducted a detailed review of text_runner.py, identifying high-impact issues and proposing fixes for better functionality and maintainability.
  • Function Enhancement: Enhanced the flatten_place function to normalize and expand Google Places API data.
  • Modular Package Design: Proposed a modular structure for the gmaps_scraper package, emphasizing separation of concerns.
  • Integration and Execution: Provided instructions for running the Gmaps Scraper with the Google Places API, including error handling and API field mask corrections.
  • Version Control and Documentation: Outlined git commit sequences, resolved git issues, ensured API key safety, and edited the README for clarity and modular design.

Achievements

  • Developed a robust pipeline for Google Places API data acquisition.
  • Improved the modular design and maintainability of the gmaps_scraper package.
  • Enhanced documentation and version control practices.

Pending Tasks

  • Further testing of the enhanced flatten_place function.
  • Additional QA and validation of the Places API pipeline.
  • Continued refinement of the modular package design for scalability.

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