This article explores how to efficiently obtain specific category data in a single-page application (SPA) by directly accessing the back-end API, instead of relying on front-end page loading and filtering. For users who want to reduce website load times and automatically select specific categories, we reveal how SPA works - usually loading all data at once. Therefore, directly calling the API is an effective strategy to bypass heavy front-end rendering and quickly obtain the required information. It is especially suitable for scenarios where only data content is required rather than complete UI interaction.

Understand the data loading mechanism of single page application (SPA)

In many modern websites, single page application (SPA) architecture is widely adopted. A distinctive feature of these types of apps is that, in order to provide a smooth user experience, they often fetch most or even all of the necessary data at once during the initial load. This means that even if the page displays a category filter and allows the user to select a specific category, the underlying data may have been downloaded to the browser at the beginning of the page load. Therefore, trying to "automatically select" a category through URL parameters may change the front-end display, but it does not reduce the amount of data transfer during the initial load, because the data already exists on the client.

Obtain specific classification data through direct API access

In view of the data loading characteristics of SPA, if the goal is only to obtain data content under a specific category, rather than operating with the complete interactive interface of the website, then the most effective method is to bypass the front-end page and directly access the back-end API that provides the data. This approach can significantly reduce unnecessary UI rendering and script execution, thereby getting the required information faster.

Identify target API

To achieve direct API access, you first need to identify the API interface corresponding to a specific category. This can usually be done through the Network tab of your browser's developer tools.

1. Open the developer tools: On the target website page, press F12 or right-click the page and select "Inspect", then switch to the "Network" tab.
2. Filter categories: On the front-end interface of the website, manually click or select the category you are interested in (for example, the "whitelist" category in this example).
3. Observe network requests: In the Network tab, you will see a series of new network requests. Looking closely at these requests, there are usually one or several XHR or Fetch type requests, which are responsible for getting data from the server.
4. Locate the API URL: Find the request directly related to the category you selected. By looking at the requested URL, request method (GET, POST, etc.), and response data, you can determine whether it is the target API.

For example, for the "whitelist" category of the website shack.gamingapeclub.com, after analysis, the corresponding API interface is: https://gaming-ape-club.herokuapp.com/listing?tags=96d775b6-e0ad-4678-b91e-23cef74788a0

This URL contains the tags parameter, whose value 96d775b6-e0ad-4678-b91e-23cef74788a0 is the unique identifier of the "whitelist" category.

Advantages of using the API directly

• Fast loading speed: Bypassing the loading, rendering and script execution of the front-end UI, data is obtained directly and the response time is shorter.
• Low resource consumption: The browser does not need to render complex page elements, reducing CPU and memory usage.
• Highly targeted: only obtain the data of the required classification, avoiding downloading and processing the data of the entire website.
• Automation potential: Easily automate data capture or integration via scripts or programs.

Things to note

• Data format: The data returned by the direct API is usually in JSON format, which requires certain programming knowledge to parse and process.
• API stability: The website's API interface may change, causing direct access links to become invalid.
• Permissions and frequency: Some APIs may require authentication (such as API Key) or have access frequency restrictions. Excessively frequent access may be considered malicious by the server and blocked.
• Data only: This method is mainly used to obtain data and cannot simulate user interaction on the website (such as clicking buttons, submitting forms, etc.).
• Avoid "heavy background": The user's need to "block heavy background on the website" is indirectly solved by directly accessing the API, because loading and rendering of the entire front-end page containing "heavy background" is avoided.

Summarize

For single-page applications, if you only need to obtain data of a specific category, directly identifying and accessing the back-end API through browser developer tools is an efficient and fast strategy. It can effectively avoid the complex loading process of the front-end UI and directly obtain the required information, thus significantly improving the efficiency of data acquisition. However, when using this method, attention should be paid to the API's stability, permission requirements, and data parsing capabilities.

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