Defining Data Mining
Data mining, on the other hand, refers to the process of analyzing large datasets to discover patterns, correlations, and insights that are not immediately apparent. Data mining employs algorithms from statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to extract meaningful information from datasets. Unlike web scraping, data mining is often used for identifying trends or anomalies in pre-existing databases rather than scraping information from the web.
For example, a retail company might use data mining techniques to analyze customer purchasing behavior to predict future trends or recommend products. The focus here is on uncovering hidden patterns, correlations, and knowledge that can lead to better decision-making.