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python requests authentication

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 1 min read

Python Requests Authentication

Python requests module is a popular HTTP library that allows sending HTTP requests using Python. It provides an easy-to-use interface to interact with web services and APIs. Authentication is an important aspect of securing web services and APIs. It ensures that only authorized users can access the protected resources.

Types of Authentication

There are several types of authentication mechanisms supported by requests module:

  • Basic Authentication
  • Token Authentication
  • OAuth Authentication
  • Custom Authentication

Basic Authentication

Basic authentication is the simplest form of authentication. It requires a username and password to access the protected resources. The requests module provides a simple way to send basic authentication credentials using the auth parameter.

import requests

url = 'https://api.example.com/protected-resource'
username = 'my-username'
password = 'my-password'

response = requests.get(url, auth=(username, password))
print(response.status_code) # should print 200 if successful

Token Authentication

Token authentication is a more secure way of authentication. It requires a token to access the protected resources. The token is usually generated by the server and passed to the client after successful authentication. The requests module provides a way to send token authentication credentials using the headers parameter.

import requests

url = 'https://api.example.com/protected-resource'
headers = {'Authorization': 'Bearer my-token'}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
print(response.status_code) # should print 200 if successful

OAuth Authentication

OAuth authentication is a widely used protocol for authentication and authorization. It allows users to grant access to their resources without sharing their passwords. The requests module provides a way to send OAuth authentication credentials using the OAuth1 or OAuth2 classes.

import requests
from requests_oauthlib import OAuth1Session

url = 'https://api.example.com/protected-resource'
client_key = 'my-client-key'
client_secret = 'my-client-secret'
access_token = 'my-access-token'
access_token_secret = 'my-access-token-secret'

oauth = OAuth1Session(client_key, client_secret, access_token, access_token_secret)
response = oauth.get(url)

print(response.status_code) # should print 200 if successful

Custom Authentication

Sometimes, web services and APIs use their own custom authentication mechanisms. In that case, the requests module provides a way to send custom authentication credentials using the auth parameter.

import requests

url = 'https://api.example.com/protected-resource'

def custom_auth(req):
    req.headers['X-Api-Key'] = 'my-api-key'
    return req

response = requests.get(url, auth=custom_auth)
print(response.status_code) # should print 200 if successful

In conclusion, Python requests module provides several ways to authenticate HTTP requests. Developers can choose the appropriate method based on the requirements of the web service or API they are interacting with.

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