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python requests library graphql

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 2 min read

Python Requests Library GraphQL

As a developer, I have worked with many programming languages and platforms. One of my favorites is Python, mainly for its simplicity and strong community support. When it comes to web development, the Python Requests library is a popular tool for making HTTP requests. Recently, I have been exploring GraphQL and was curious to know how the Python Requests Library can be used to make GraphQL queries.

GraphQL overview

GraphQL is a query language that allows you to specify the data you need from a server in a more efficient way than REST APIs. It was created by Facebook and has been gaining popularity due to its flexibility and ease of use. With GraphQL, you can fetch all the data you need in a single request, unlike REST APIs, which often require multiple requests to fetch data from different endpoints.

Python Requests Library

The Python Requests library is a powerful HTTP library that allows you to send HTTP requests and handle the response in Python. It is easy to use and has a lot of features that make it an excellent choice for making HTTP requests in Python.

Using Python Requests Library with GraphQL

When it comes to making GraphQL queries with Python Requests, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, you need to set the Content-Type header to 'application/json'. This tells the server that you are sending JSON data in the request body.


import requests
import json

url = 'https://example.com/graphql'

query = '''
{
  users {
    id
    name
    email
  }
}
'''

data = {'query': query}

headers = {'Content-Type': 'application/json'}

response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, data=json.dumps(data))

print(response.json())

The code above sends a GraphQL query to a remote server and prints the JSON response. We first define the GraphQL query, which fetches users' data from the server. We then define a dictionary that contains the query and set the Content-Type header to 'application/json'. Finally, we make a POST request to the GraphQL endpoint and pass in the query and headers. The response is then printed.

Using GraphQL variables with Python Requests

GraphQL variables are used to pass dynamic values to a query. You can use variables to make your queries more reusable and maintainable. In Python Requests, you can pass variables to your query by adding them to the data dictionary.


import requests
import json

url = 'https://example.com/graphql'

query = '''
query ($id: ID!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    id
    name
    email
  }
}
'''

variables = {'id': '123'}

data = {'query': query, 'variables': variables}

headers = {'Content-Type': 'application/json'}

response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, data=json.dumps(data))

print(response.json())

The code above sends a GraphQL query with a variable to a remote server and prints the JSON response. We first define the GraphQL query, which fetches a single user's data from the server based on their ID. We then define a dictionary that contains the query, variables and set the Content-Type header to 'application/json'. Finally, we make a POST request to the GraphQL endpoint and pass in the query, variables, and headers. The response is then printed.

Conclusion

Using Python Requests Library with GraphQL is a powerful way to make HTTP requests and fetch data from a server efficiently. With the simplicity and flexibility of Python Requests, it's easy to write code that makes complex queries to GraphQL endpoints.

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