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python requests vs urllib

Narkw Brahma

Narkw Brahma

• 1 min read

Python Requests vs. Urllib

When it comes to making HTTP requests in Python, two of the most popular libraries are Requests and urllib.

Requests

Requests is a third-party library that makes it easy to send HTTP/1.1 requests using Python. It is widely used because of its simplicity and ease of use. Here's an example code:


    import requests
    
    response = requests.get('https://www.example.com')
    
    print(response.status_code)
    print(response.content)

The requests.get() method sends a GET request to the specified URL and returns a Response object, which contains the server's response to the request. We can access the status code and content of the response by calling response.status_code and response.content, respectively.

Urllib

Urllib is a built-in Python library for making HTTP requests. It is part of the standard library, which means it comes pre-installed with Python. Here's an example code:


    import urllib.request
    
    response = urllib.request.urlopen('https://www.example.com')
    
    print(response.status)
    print(response.read())

The urllib.request.urlopen() method sends a GET request to the specified URL and returns a HTTPResponse object, which contains the server's response to the request. We can access the status code and content of the response by calling response.status and response.read(), respectively.

Differences

Both Requests and urllib can be used to send HTTP requests and retrieve responses, but they differ in terms of syntax, features, and ease of use.

  • Requests is more user-friendly and intuitive than urllib, and it provides a simpler API for making requests.
  • Requests has built-in support for many features, such as cookies, authentication, and HTTPS, while urllib requires more code to implement these features.
  • Requests has better error handling and debugging capabilities than urllib, which can be helpful during development.
  • Urllib is part of the standard library, which means it is always available without the need for additional installation.

Conclusion

Both Requests and urllib are great libraries for making HTTP requests in Python. Which one you choose depends on your specific use case and personal preferences. If you prefer a simpler and more intuitive API with built-in support for many features, then Requests may be the better choice. However, if you need to use a library that is always available without the need for additional installation, then urllib may be the way to go.

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