python requests redirect history

Understanding Python Requests Redirect History

If you are working with Python requests module, it is important to know about redirect history. Whenever you make a request to a website, it may redirect you to some other page or URL. In such cases, the requests module stores information about the redirection history.

This information can be useful in various scenarios, such as tracking user activity, monitoring website behavior, etc. In this blog post, I will explain how to get and use redirect history in Python requests module.

How to Get Redirect History?

To get redirect history in Python requests module, you can use the history attribute of the response object. Here is an example:


import requests

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

print(response.history)
    

This will print a list of all the redirections that occurred during the request. If there were no redirections, the list will be empty.

How to Use Redirect History?

There are several use cases for redirect history in Python requests module. Here are some examples:

  • Tracking User Activity: You can use redirect history to track user activity on a website. For example, if a user clicks on a link that redirects to another page, you can store information about the redirection in a database for analysis later.
  • Debugging: If you are experiencing issues with a website or API, you can use redirect history to debug the issue. By analyzing the redirections that occurred during the request, you can identify any errors or misconfigurations that may be causing the issue.
  • Monitoring Website Behavior: You can use redirect history to monitor website behavior over time. By analyzing the redirections that occurred during requests, you can identify any changes in website structure, content, or behavior.

In conclusion, Python requests module provides a simple and effective way to get and use redirect history. By leveraging this feature, you can improve your website monitoring, user tracking, and debugging capabilities.