python requests session

Python Requests Session

If you want to interact with a website using Python, then the Requests module is your best friend. However, if you need to make multiple requests to the same website, it can be cumbersome to repeatedly specify the same URL and headers for each request. That's where a session comes in handy.

What is a session?

A session is an object that allows you to persist certain parameters across requests. This can include things like cookies or headers. When you make a request using a session, those parameters are automatically included in the request.

Creating a session

To create a session, simply import the requests module and call the Session() method:

import requests

session = requests.Session()

Using a session

Once you have a session object, you can use it to make requests just like you would with the requests module:

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

print(response.text)

Any headers or cookies that you set on the session will automatically be included in the request:

session.headers.update({'User-Agent': 'Mozilla/5.0'})

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

You can also use the session object to send data with a POST request:

payload = {'username': 'john.doe', 'password': 'secret'}

response = session.post('https://www.example.com/login', data=payload)

Closing a session

Once you're done using a session, it's a good idea to close it to release any resources it might be holding onto:

session.close()

Alternatively, you can use the with statement to automatically close the session when you're done:

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

Using sessions can make your code more efficient and easier to read, especially if you're making multiple requests to the same website.