2024’s Top C# HTML Parser Tools
Finding the best C# HTML parser means understanding how to use them, but also what features and functions each parser offers. A C# HTML parser is a type of library that lets you parse HTML documents (and, in many cases, XML content, too). To work, these libraries parse HTML code and then convert it into a usable C# representation of the Document Object Model (DOM).
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Whether you benefit from the simplest of C# HTML parsing tools or can benefit from the more advanced features depends on your application and needs.
C# HTML Parser – An Introduction
Most C# HTML parsers accept the following as input
- Local files
- Raw HTML
- URLs
It will then analyze the code within these strings, identify the critical elements, such as attributes, tags, and text nodes, and then parse the data. Most systems do this by building a tree structure that provides an organization of sorts for the document.
Some of the C# HTML parsing tools offer more features and flexibility. For example, some will provide methods for extracting specific data from within the nodes. If you are looking for help with web scraping, a service Scraping Robot offers, you may want to consider parsers that allow for methods of extracting data from HTML nodes like this. That is what allows web scraping in >NET.
An HTML parser in C# will also include a node selection API based on CSS selectors or XPath expressions, depending on the product.
Considering this basic information about C# HTML partners, you’re still not quite ready to choose one option over the other. It is not uncommon for people to believe that all C++ HTML parser options are the same.
Key Features to Consider in C# HTML Parser Selection
Before providing our list of the best C# HTML parsers, let’s discuss what features matter the most and how some products stand out from others. Before you choose any solution, make sure you fully compare the details of the product.
Specific features matter. This is how the parser works; it is the functionality the tool offers (or, in some cases, does not offer) and the most critical factor to consider.
You will also need to consider your application, ease of use, and overall updates to the parsers available.
Keep factors to consider include:
- How popular and widely used the parser is
- How easy it is to use
- The speed at which it works
Our Top C# HTML Parser Suggestions
The following are the C# HTML parsers that we believe are the best and why. What you will find is that some of these may not fit your goal – and that’s okay. Check out everything that each offers to determine if parsing HTML in C# is possible for your specific objectives.
#1: HTML Agility Pack
Perhaps the most common (and rightfully so) solution is HAP or HTML Agility Pack. It is flexible and easy to use. This API is a solid choice for navigating, manipulating, and then extracting data from the DOM. It is an HTML parser written in C#.
A key differentiating factor with HAP is that it can handle malformed HTML. Since many of today’s websites have HTML differentiating factors, HAP minimizes the risk of data being left behind.
The best features of HTML Agility Pack:
- It creates a clean, structured product with online examples
- HAP supports HTTP requests
- It handles malformed HTML
- Super maintained (It has over 32 GitHub contributors keeping it moving)
- Load and parse from file, string, web, or browser
Drawbacks of HTML Agility Pack:
- It slows down significantly with large and complex parsing of HTML
- While still usable, it only natively supports XPath and XSLT
Overall, HTML Agility Pack is a solid choice for XPath support, both HTML manipulation and cleaning, as well as it’s HTML traversing solutions.
#2: AngleSharp
If you’re looking for more of a comprehensive HTML toolkit, AngleSharp is a solid choice that is recognized for its ease of use and extensive documentation. It is a .NET library that will parse HTML as well as any type of hypertext (for this, you will need to use angle brackets). You can use it to define and structure content, and it is a fully implemented parser.
It parses HTML5, MathML, SVG, and CSS to create a DOM based on the official W3C specifications. One of the key differentiating features of this tool for C# HTML parsing is that CSS can be parsed using it, which is not common. Other features include a highly portable solution that offers standard conformance and good, fast performance.
The best features of AngleSharp include:
- Super extensive documentation
- Usable across most platforms, including .NET but also Unity and Xamarin
- It is a solid option for compliance as well as standard-driven documentation
- Handle DOM events in the code
Drawbacks of AngleSharp include:
- You will need libraries for XPath and CSS selectors support for the best functionality
- It can be harder to learn
- It is also slower with large amounts of data
AngleSharp is a strong solution for those who need to query HTML using LINQ and those who need support from external integration. The DOM is fully functional, which is a key benefit.
#3:CSQuery
Another option in C# parsing HTML is CSQuery, which is rather different and specific. This parser provides jQuery-like features to .NET for HTML document manipulation. The result is that it lets the user navigate through and select the specific elements necessary that you would use on the jQuery client-side application.
There are a number of key benefits to CSQuery, including that’s is rather easy to use and fast. To get standard-compliant HTML parsing, you will need to use a C# port of the validator.nu HTML parser.
The best benefits and features of CSQuery include:
- Probably the easiest HTML parser in C# to use listed here
- Creates jQuery-like syntax for HTML documentation querying using CSS selectors
- It has the full suite from Sizzle
Drawbacks of CSQuery may include:
- Limited overall documentation
- This is key – it is not actively maintained (and although the current release is stable, this is a factor to keep in mind)
Some of the key features that make CSQuery worthy of consideration include the fact that all jQuery DOM manipulation methods are accessible, it handles standard-compliant HTML parsing without requiring a lot of user experience, and it has CSS2 and CSS3 selectors.
#4: Fizzler
Another popular HTML parser in C# is Fizzler, and this solution is most noted for its ability to parse with CSS Selectors. Fizzler is a .NET CSS selector engine. It is specifically based on HAP (yes, that one above). Why consider this tool, then? Fizzler is often sought after to extend the capabilities of other parsing libraries. That includes HAP, AngleSharp, and CSQuery, as listed above.
Fizzler is often sought after, but there are limitations to it. At the time of this blog’s creation, it was not being significantly updated, though it has been maintained and is actively available. There’s hope for improvements in the future, though.
When you consider your options, there are a few key reasons this HTML parser in C# should still be a careful consideration. The benefits include:
- It’s super easy to understand from a syntax point of view, making querying HTML documents using CSS selectors easy to do
- It works alongside and with the other parsers you’ve seen mentioned here so far
There are some notable drawbacks to Fizzler you need to consider as you learn how to parse HTML in C#.
- There is not a lot of documentation available
- Fizzler, used with other HTML parsers, can create some overhead and slow you down
There are some great features here, and that is why this HTML parser in C# is still worthy of consideration. The CSS selector support and both HTML manipulation and traversing are solid. It has significant extensibility.
5. Selenium WebDriver
A final recommendation is Selenium Webdriver, which is the ideal choice for those who want to learn how to parse HTML in C# with automation. This is a very different tool to parse HTML in that Selenium WebDriver is a type of browser automation tool. It does provide HTML parsing for C# developers.
Perhaps what makes it most interesting is that it does a good job of simulating natural user behavior. That makes it a common choice for those seeking web scraping.
Key advantages of Selenium WebDriver include:
- It’s ability to provide JavaScript rendering
- It supports XPath as well as CSS selectors
- It’s a very active developer community, which can make a significant difference
There are a few drawbacks, for example, it requires a lot of resources and can be a slower solution than others.
Choosing the Right C# HTML Parser
The right HTML toolkit for your needs depends on multiple factors. Scraping Robot can make web scraping easy with its user-friendly tools. Check out the advanced features you will find to get the data you need without the hassle.
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