pass headers in python requests

Pass Headers in Python Requests

Passing headers in Python requests is a common task when working with APIs. Headers are used to provide additional information to the server to tell it more about the request being made. This information can be used to authenticate the request, provide information about the client making the request, or specify additional parameters for the request.

Using the headers parameter

The easiest way to pass headers in Python requests is by using the headers parameter. This parameter is a dictionary that contains the headers you want to pass to the server.


import requests

url = "https://api.example.com/data"
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer my_token",
    "User-Agent": "My Application/1.0"
}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)

In this example, we are making a GET request to an API endpoint at https://api.example.com/data. We are passing two headers in the request: an Authorization header with a Bearer token value, and a User-Agent header with a custom value.

Using a session object

Another way to pass headers in Python requests is by using a session object. A session object is created using the requests library and can be used to persist cookies and other session data between requests.


import requests

url = "https://api.example.com/data"

session = requests.Session()
session.headers.update({
    "Authorization": "Bearer my_token",
    "User-Agent": "My Application/1.0"
})

response = session.get(url)

In this example, we are creating a session object and updating its headers with the same values as before. We then use the session object to make the GET request to the API endpoint. The headers are automatically included in the request because they were set on the session object.

Conclusion

Passing headers in Python requests is a simple task that can be done using the headers parameter or a session object. Headers provide additional information to the server and can be used for authentication, client information, or other purposes.