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python requests json vs data

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 1 min read

Python Requests JSON vs Data

If you are working with Python and using the Requests library to make HTTP requests, you might have come across the two parameters "json" and "data" in the request method. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between these two parameters, their use cases, and how to use them.

JSON Parameter

The "json" parameter in the request method is used to send a JSON object as the request body. This is useful when you are working with APIs that expect JSON data. When you use the "json" parameter, Requests automatically sets the correct Content-Type header to application/json and also encodes the JSON object for you.


import requests

data = {'name': 'John', 'age': 30}
response = requests.post('https://example.com/api', json=data)

print(response.json())

Data Parameter

The "data" parameter in the request method is used to send form-encoded data as the request body. This is useful when you are working with APIs that expect form data. When you use the "data" parameter, Requests automatically sets the correct Content-Type header to application/x-www-form-urlencoded and also encodes the data for you.


import requests

data = {'name': 'John', 'age': 30}
response = requests.post('https://example.com/api', data=data)

print(response.json())

When to Use Which Parameter?

Now that we know the differences between the "json" and "data" parameters, let's talk about when to use which parameter.

  • Use the "json" parameter when working with APIs that expect JSON data.
  • Use the "data" parameter when working with APIs that expect form-encoded data.

It's important to use the correct parameter and Content-Type header to ensure that the API can correctly parse the request body data.

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