Menu
Article Bugs

python requests vs http.client

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 1 min read

Python Requests vs http.client

When it comes to making HTTP requests in Python, there are two primary modules that are commonly used - Requests and http.client. Both of these modules offer similar functionality, but there are some key differences between them that may make one more suitable for your needs than the other.

Requests Module

The Requests module is a third-party library that is designed to make it easy to send HTTP/1.1 requests using Python. It provides a simple and intuitive API for sending requests and handling responses. Here's an example of how to send a GET request using Requests:


import requests

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

print(response.content)

The code above sends a GET request to 'https://www.example.com' and prints the content of the response. The Requests module takes care of handling many of the details of the request and response for you, such as setting headers and handling redirects.

http.client Module

The http.client module is part of Python's standard library and provides a low-level interface for working with HTTP/1.1 requests and responses. It requires a bit more work to use than the Requests module, but it also provides more control over the details of the request and response. Here's an example of how to send a GET request using http.client:


import http.client

conn = http.client.HTTPSConnection('www.example.com')
conn.request('GET', '/')

response = conn.getresponse()

print(response.read())

The code above sends a GET request to 'https://www.example.com' and prints the content of the response. The http.client module requires you to manually specify many of the details of the request, such as setting headers and handling redirects.

Which Should You Use?

So which module should you use? It really depends on your specific needs. If you just need to make simple HTTP requests and don't want to worry about the details, then the Requests module is probably the way to go. On the other hand, if you need more control over the details of your requests and responses, then the http.client module may be a better fit.

Ultimately, both modules are capable of handling HTTP requests in Python, so it's really up to you to decide which one works best for your specific use case.

Share