Menu
Article Pro Tips

python requests library leaks

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 1 min read

Python Requests Library Leaks

If you are a Python developer who frequently uses the Requests library, you may have heard about the potential memory leaks that can occur when using it. In this post, I will discuss what these leaks are and how you can prevent them.

What are Memory Leaks?

Memory leaks occur when a program allocates memory for an object but fails to release it when it is no longer needed. Over time, these leaks can cause the program to run out of memory and crash. In the case of the Requests library, these leaks can occur when using the Session object.

How to Prevent Leaks in Requests

There are a few ways to prevent memory leaks when using the Requests library:

  • Use a Context Manager: One way to prevent leaks is to use the Session object as a context manager. This ensures that the Session is properly closed when it is no longer needed. Here is an example:

import requests

with requests.Session() as session:
    response = session.get('https://www.example.com')
  • Close the Session Manually: Another option is to manually close the Session object when you are done with it. This can be done using the close() method:

import requests

session = requests.Session()
response = session.get('https://www.example.com')

# Do something with response...

session.close()
  • Disable SSL Verification: Another potential cause of leaks in Requests is SSL verification. If you disable SSL verification, it can prevent memory leaks from occurring. Here is an example:

import requests

session = requests.Session()
session.verify = False
response = session.get('https://www.example.com')

# Do something with response...

session.close()

While disabling SSL verification is not recommended in production environments, it can be a useful workaround when testing or debugging your code.

Conclusion

Memory leaks in the Python Requests library can be a frustrating issue for developers. However, by using the Session object as a context manager, manually closing the Session object, or disabling SSL verification, you can prevent these leaks from occurring and keep your code running smoothly.

Share