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python requests oauth

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 2 min read

Python Requests OAuth

OAuth is an open protocol that allows secure authorization in a simple and standard way for web, mobile, and desktop applications. In Python, the Requests library is a popular choice for making HTTP requests. You can use Requests to handle OAuth authentication and authorization.

Using OAuth with Requests

The first step to using OAuth with Requests is to obtain an authorization token from the API provider. You can then use this token to authenticate your requests. Here are the steps to follow:

  • Register your application with the API provider
  • Obtain your client ID and client secret
  • Redirect the user to the provider's authorization URL to obtain an authorization code
  • Exchange the authorization code for an access token
  • Use the access token to make authenticated requests

Let's take a closer look at each step.

1. Register your application with the API provider

You need to create an account with the API provider and register your application. This will give you a client ID and client secret that you can use to authenticate your requests. The registration process varies depending on the API provider, but it usually involves creating an account and filling out a form.

2. Obtain your client ID and client secret

Once you have registered your application, you will receive a client ID and client secret. These are used to authenticate your requests. You will need to store these securely, as they are sensitive information.


client_id = 'your_client_id'
client_secret = 'your_client_secret'

3. Redirect the user to the provider's authorization URL to obtain an authorization code

The next step is to redirect the user to the provider's authorization URL to obtain an authorization code. This code will be used to obtain an access token. Here is an example:


import requests

auth_url = 'https://provider.com/auth'
params = {
    'client_id': client_id,
    'redirect_uri': 'https://yourapp.com/callback',
    'response_type': 'code'
}
response = requests.get(auth_url, params=params)

# Redirect user to response.url

4. Exchange the authorization code for an access token

Once the user has granted permission, the provider will redirect them back to your application with an authorization code. You can use this code to obtain an access token. Here is an example:


token_url = 'https://provider.com/token'
auth_code = 'your_authorization_code'
data = {
    'grant_type': 'authorization_code',
    'code': auth_code,
    'client_id': client_id,
    'client_secret': client_secret
}
response = requests.post(token_url, data=data)

# Extract access token from response.json()
access_token = response.json()['access_token']

5. Use the access token to make authenticated requests

Finally, you can use the access token to make authenticated requests to the API. Here is an example:


api_url = 'https://provider.com/api'
headers = {'Authorization': 'Bearer ' + access_token}
response = requests.get(api_url, headers=headers)

You can also use the OAuth2Session class from the oauthlib library to handle OAuth authentication and authorization. This can make the process easier and more streamlined.

Overall, using OAuth with Python Requests is a powerful and flexible way to authenticate your requests to API providers. With a little bit of setup, you can make secure and authenticated requests to any OAuth-enabled API.

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