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python do http request

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 2 min read

Python HTTP Requests

If you're working with web services or APIs, it is essential to understand how to send HTTP requests in Python. Fortunately, Python provides several libraries for making HTTP requests, including the built-in urllib and urllib2 modules and the third-party requests library.

Using urllib module

The urllib module in Python is used for opening URLs. It can be used to fetch data from a URL or to perform other operations, such as submitting data via HTTP POST or PUT requests.

Here's an example of how to make an HTTP GET request using the urllib module:


      import urllib.request
      
      with urllib.request.urlopen('https://www.example.com/') as response:
          html = response.read()
          print(html)

In this example, we create a request object using the urllib.request.urlopen() function and pass in the URL we want to fetch. The response is returned as a file-like object, which we can read using the read() method.

We can also use the urllib.request module to make other types of HTTP requests, such as POST and PUT requests:


      import urllib.request
      
      url = 'https://www.example.com/'
      data = b'some_data'
      
      req = urllib.request.Request(url, data=data, method='POST')
      
      with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as response:
          html = response.read()
          print(html)

In this example, we create a Request object and pass in the URL, data, and method parameters. We then use the urlopen() function to send the request and receive the response.

Using requests library

The requests library is a third-party library that provides a more user-friendly interface for making HTTP requests in Python. It also provides support for more advanced features, such as authentication and session management.

Here's an example of how to make an HTTP GET request using the requests library:


      import requests
      
      response = requests.get('https://www.example.com/')
      
      print(response.content)

In this example, we use the requests.get() function to send an HTTP GET request to the specified URL. The response is returned as a Response object, which we can access using the content attribute.

Similarly, we can use the requests module to make other types of HTTP requests, such as POST requests:


      import requests
      
      url = 'https://www.example.com/'
      data = {'some_key': 'some_value'}
      
      response = requests.post(url, data=data)
      
      print(response.content)

In this example, we use the requests.post() function to send an HTTP POST request to the specified URL, with some data in the request body.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Python provides several libraries for making HTTP requests, including the built-in urllib and urllib2 modules and the third-party requests library. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can choose the library that best suits your needs. Regardless of which library you choose, it's essential to understand how HTTP requests work and how to use them effectively when working with web services and APIs.

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